I Can Never Love Again
by KatherineSalvatore1918
Summary: After being strung along by Elena, all Damon wants is someone for himself. He finds another secret blood bag, but abuses this one to an extent that can cause problems. He made it clear he will never be able to love this girl, but she is falling for him, and he cannot return the favor. Despite the pain, can he find it in his heart to love again or will he stay with Elena? D/OC, S/OC
1. I

**A/N: So, this is something I haven't tried before: a story that takes place in the current episodes of The Vampire Diaries! Normally, I do other things like spinning off after Elena becomes a vampire or other stuff like that. This time, I'm actually doing a story off of the episodes now, which means it corresponds with every episode – including the time, dialogue, and actions I need to complete it successfully. I know what you're thinking: YAY! EVERY THURSDAY! Well, sorry, but NO. **

**This story will most likely be updated every Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Depending on the day. It might even be uploaded on a Monday, Wednesday, or Tuesday. Honestly, it varies. I mean, I'm starting at **The Five **(this chapter and most likely next chapter) and I'll move on, but that means I'm a little behind. It depends on the chapter, though, if it's a chapter that doesn't require the show to complete, it might happen on a weekday. So, basically, it depends. **

**Some of the chapters will be complete remakes of the episodes (like, let's say Elena didn't walk out on Damon and they kissed…) and others will be EXACTLY like it in terms of Damon's whereabouts. Just stick with me – you should get the gist of everything. I'll decide when I want the turning point to be, and it will most likely be when the season is over with, or when something freaky happens with Damon and I decide – UM. NO. So, yeah. That's pretty much it. **

**I hope you enjoy! Review, please!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING about TVD, but I do own Lana and the plotline.**

* * *

**I**

"She already _is _like me," he paused, "and you know what makes me able to drink my fill and leave someone breathing and not _rip _their head off like my brother," He looked at her with a wicked smile that ached for her, "is that I can _revel _in it. I can make it _fun._"

He brushed past Bonnie, not bothering to excuse himself as he walked away. He didn't dare look at his companion, for it was too hard for him to acknowledge her in this state of mind. It was too frustrating for him – the way she acted like she was a human when she really was like him; a vampire.

_The problem with her is that she doesn't understand how much fun it can be_, he convinced himself that it was her who was messed up. It was _her _who was being difficult and stubborn. It was her who didn't know how to control it.

And, as always, he was right.

He huffed and puffed, but it was no different. He could huff and puff all he wanted, but did anyone listen? Did anyone even pay the _slightest _of attention to him? It was saddening to his heart that he had absolutely no one except for a volatile vampire whose gone AWOL and doesn't care about him, but only his brother.

She said she cared about him, but really, it's only Stefan. It will always be Stefan, why did he ever think that would change?

Sometimes, Damon felt like he wanted to run off and enjoy the lightness on his shoulders when he doesn't have to worry about the world as the weight. He didn't understand what compelled him to stay in the first place. Being here…being with her and his brother, watching them play dress-up-as-a-human every day and play peek-a-boo with each other by night made him sick. It made him feel as if _he_ had no life anymore, even when he knew that he was the one with the future ahead. He knew he was the one who had the most experience and the most common sense not to be the way his brother and his lover were.

_My lover, _Damon scoffed to himself. _I don't need her. I don't need her. _

He felt an enormous amount of rage build within him. How _dare _he even think for a _second _that he could win her back? Any shred of hope only made him feel worse afterwards when he saw his brother kiss her and love her. How much, how _much _he wanted to do that to her. How much he wished he was the one who she fell in love with. It was a stupid mistake – compelling her to keep quiet. All for the love of a century-year-old vampire who never loved him in the first place. Stefan had gotten to her.

Why was he pondering over his failure? It was Elena's fault! She didn't know how to _control _it. She had it before – she had everything down. No one was getting hurt – no one was dying. Nothing was happening.

They all know she's a vampire – her friends. They all know that she can't do the normal things she wanted to do if she became a vampire, drink animal blood. Damon didn't understand why no one understood that he was her only salvation. Dear old brother couldn't help her prick a tiny girl's finger for he was afraid of turning into a blind-soul ripper as he was before. One little taste of human blood and Stefan lost it.

Damon, he on the other hand had it down packed. Drinking from the vein didn't have to be a violent thing. It didn't even have to involve pain. If Elena knew anything, she knew that it wasn't painful unless the vampire wants it to be. It's only the fear that gets in the way.

He kicked a rock on the sidewalk as he watched all his prey walk by him, some brushing past him and not bothering to apologize. He let it go – for today. He wasn't in the mood to fight with jocks, but he was in the mood for a tasty treat.

He didn't know what to do anymore. Let Elena go and leave? Stay and watch his brother love her forever and ever and then have his heart broken in two? He didn't even know why he saved her all the time. If she really loved Stefan, and he really loved her, wouldn't he be the one to rescue her? Damon knew he couldn't help her with the blood issue – but Elena had it through her head that Damon was the worst vampire in the world besides Klaus.

It bothered him to no end to realize that his beloved had hated him so much, even when he convinced him that she'd always care and love him. But it wasn't enough. Would it ever be enough?

Most times, he felt like running away. This time, he was just too angry for words.

He turned a corner, going into a small alleyway between the two college fraternity houses. He felt himself stop in his tracks, unable to go any further. He rustled his hair in frustration as he turned towards the brick wall and angrily punched it. The brick crumbled to the ground, dust flying everywhere, and his hand was bloody. Soon, though, it closed up, leaving nothing but clean skin in its place.

He rested his hands on the wall, clutching the bricks. He ducked his head and began to think. He thought long and hard, long and hard, long and hard…

"Are you okay?"

The voice startled him so much; he nearly pulled the brick out of its place in the wall. Sharply, his head snapped up and he saw a figure standing there in the darkness. He smelt the aroma of a human.

_It's not Elena, _the thought was strange. Would he always think of Elena when he had an intruder?

He said nothing as he saw the figure evolve into a shape, and a shape evolve into a face. Someone stepped out of the darkness into the dim light, and he vaguely made out a girl in his presence. Somewhat like his stressor, but not much like her. Dark hair, dark eyes, but everything else was so much different.

Although he can't help but feel it was the same.

He was too upset for words; he gulped and removed his hands, taking the brick with him. It fell to the floor and made a noise, earning a jump from the girl in the shadows.

He could smell fear radiating off of her. He beckoned her forward.

"Come here," he ordered. He could feel her try and fight it, but he had her under compulsion. As his wish, she came closer to him and he saw a striking resemblance he hadn't seen before. But it wasn't nearly as much of a resemblance as a doppelganger. Not even close.

"Wha…?" Her voice was soft and confused. He gave her a sad smile.

"Don't be afraid," he told her. "I can't make any promises, but I probably won't kill you."

She couldn't stop her feet until she was close to him; close enough to smell her scent.

"Kill me?" Her voice was full of concern and he saw her brace to run.

"Don't move," he warned.

She tried to, but she couldn't. She was as still as he wanted her to be. Perfectly…perfectly still.

"Are you going to kill me?" She gasped out. "Why can't I move?"

"Shh," he hushed her. "I'm not going to kill you, I probably won't anyway."

"This isn't making sense," she wailed. "I don't understand…"

"It isn't going to hurt, I promise," he nodded to her. "I only want one taste. I can't live with this – I can't live with _her_. I can't…it's driving me insane."

"What is it?" It amazed him so much, that he stumbled backwards. A victim actually caring?

"What is what?"

"What's bothering you?" She questioned. "Instead of killing me, I could help. I study psychology."

"No one can help me," he gulped. "She doesn't love me, she never will."

"If this is over a girl," he could see her try to move her head. "You don't have to do this – whatever you're doing to me. She's not worth this much pain."

"She is worth _eons _of pain!" Damon snapped. "I would do anything for her."

"She still doesn't love you."

"Shut up!" He snapped at her and looked into her dark eyes to shut her up with compulsion. He felt a wave of déjà vu run over him – why must he be so cruel? He wasn't going to kill her, he decided that already. He only needed something to take his mind off of it.

_Don't kill her, _he instructed himself as he reached out to brush her long hair off of her neck. He saw her pulse throbbing. _Don't kill her. You can use this, Damon._

After brushing her hair to the side, he dipped his head down and pulled out his fangs from his interior. With carefulness, he sunk his teeth deep into her throat, hitting the vein that exploded blood into his mouth. Blood flowed down his throat and he clutched her closer to him, making sure he could get all he needed.

_Don't kill her. _

Obeying his subconscious, he pulled away and saw the rich stain on the crease of her neck with two hole marks. With satisfaction coursing through him, he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"Give me your phone," he compelled her. She immediately pulled out an iPhone from her back pocket. He grabbed it and inputted his number. When he handed it back to her, he compelled her once more. "You will answer _any _time I call you. Understood?"

"You can call anytime," she said in a trance. "I'll answer."

"Good," he nodded. "Your name?"

"Lana."

"Damon," he rushed her out. "You'll go back to your home and tell no one about this. No one. Put a scarf around your neck and make sure no one sees the wound."

"I will," she said, breathless. "Damon," she added.

"Damon?" Someone called out for him. "Damon, where are you? Bonnie wants to leave. Now."

"Leave," Damon instructed. "_Answer._"

"Bye," Lana piped up before leaving.

Damon didn't know what possessed him to do such a thing. _Not _kill her? Give her his number and tell her that he was going to call her and she was _going _to answer. What was Elena making him become?

But suddenly, he realized the method to his madness. He could use her – he could use her for his own personal need. No one cared about him? He could make _her_.

"Damon? There you are," Elena rounded a corner, spotting Damon in the darkness. "Bonnie wants to leave. She wanted to leave you, but I told her I would find you. So, come on."

"At your service," Damon said bitterly before brushing past her.

"Damon…"

"We better get back," he mumbled. "Don't want the witchy-witch to hop on her broomstick and leave us, now, do we?"

Elena said nothing as he raced at vampire speed back to the car. She followed him at the same pace and they both got into the car.

* * *

With a large, tired sigh, Damon gestured towards her door.

"Well, then," Damon huffed. "Goodnight."

"Damon…"

He wasn't in the mood to hear it like he'd heard it _so _many times before. _"Damon, I care about you." "Damon, you know I love you, but I love Stefan more." "Damon, I'm sorry, but I'm really not_."

"I'm sorry," she breathed out.

_Of _course _you are, _he thought bitterly. _You always are, my beloved Elena. _

"Things got a little…" she searched for the right term, "heated at the party and I shouldn't have let that happened. It's just that I….I feel like—"

He couldn't hear the same speech over and over again! _I feel like we're getting to close_, or the unspoken terms: _I find myself going back to you every time I can't use Stefan to my advantage. _

He didn't want to insult her; he didn't want to be the way he wanted to be. But there was a part of him that hated her for stringing him along so nonchalantly. It's like he didn't even matter.

"What do you feel, Elena?" Damon responded quickly, not allowing her to get another word out.

She stuttered, "When you tell me what a vampire should be…deep down, I _believe _you! I think that you're right and I…" _Here it comes. _"I-I hate that feeling. Because I don't want to be—"

He'd heard the speech so many times before; he was beginning to put it on repeat. Or, he felt like someone else was putting it on repeat for him.

"You don't want to be like me," he finished for her with a sly smile that indicated his viciousness. She looked at him with a slight sadness in her eyes, but he knew it was true. She never _truly _believed in him.

She said nothing as she let out a large breath of air.

He knew exactly where they'd been. This was the place they'd been so many times before. They'd been at this stage of sadness, this stage of her telling him that she doesn't believe in him and thinks he's the worst vampire that could ever live. She could try and convince him until he stakes himself in the heart by his own choice, and he still wouldn't believe it.

_Even though she might seem to care, she doesn't. All she cares about is—_

The door flung open to reveal a worried Stefan, intruding on their conversation. Elena's head immediately snapped towards him and he could see the relief in her eyes.

"Hey," Elena said. Damon got the vibe that she didn't know he would be waiting for her.

Damon's eyes wandered over Elena's face, but she wasn't looking at him. If you can guess, she was looking at his brother.

"W-What are you doing here?" Her eyes flickered to Damon for a split second, as if she was worried Stefan had gotten the wrong idea.

"Just checking on Jeremy," Stefan explained. "We had a…uh, couple things to talk about."

"Any news on the hunter?" Damon smiled slightly to show his brother there was no problem. Although there really, really was.

"No, no nothing new."

"Well than today was a bust," Damon sighed and his eyes flickered back and forth between his brother and his lover. "She's all yours," he said grimly.

He stepped down the stairs that led up to Elena's porch and felt him crumbling down. Why did this always have to happen to him? Why did he always have to want the one he could never have. It was frustrating to him, the amount of pain he went through every day and no one cared.

_I can make _her_, _he said to himself before pulling out his phone. He flipped through his calls to see the call that had came when he was strategically swapping numbers between him and his victim before. After inserting her name, he pressed the call button. Within three seconds of the first ring, she answered.

"Damon," she breathed. "I answered."

"Good," he nodded. "Now I want you to meet me."

"Where?"

He thought for a second.

"Pick a place," he smiled. "Yours or mine?"

* * *

**A/N: Did you like the chapter? I hope you liked it and that you read more soon!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated and is a joy to receive. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but no flames. If you feel like you must submit a flame, a Guest review is preferred. I promise I always read the feedback and if I need to make any changes from the review of a flame, I know what to do. _**

**_I love to hear your thoughts! Every chapter, all the time!_**

**_KS1918_**


	2. II

**A/N: Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while! I plan to get through a couple chapters to last night's episode! Did you see what happened! Like OMK! I'm ****_kind of _****a Delena shipper, DEFINITELY not a Stelena shipper, though. But I think Damon deserves someone more…what do ****_you_**** think? **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, but I do own Lana and the plotline. I think in a later chapter, they're going to go to a party and play ****_Just Dance_****! Who wants to see that? Tell me!**

* * *

**II**

_"Pick a place," he smiled. "Yours or mine?"_

His fingernails tapped on the dining table nervously. _Where's your minion when you need one, _he growled to himself, taking a sip of the bourbon in his hand. His mind was reeling from his talk with Elena. He didn't _understand _her. Didn't she know what she was doing to him? Didn't she understand how much it hurt to watch her go through this transition? Didn't she have some sense of understanding that he was trying to _help _her, not hurt her. Something that Stefan couldn't provide for her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Using his vampire speed, he flashed to the door in an instant and opened it huskily.

"Where have you been?" He growled. "It's been—"

"Five minutes," she finished for him with a smile. "I'm not a miracle worker, Damon. It takes time to—"

"I don't," he sighed, interrupting her, "care, Lana. Just get inside."

"Well than," she grumbled. "Aren't you a happy camper?"

"I haven't had much to be happy about," he countered with a sly smile as he stepped aside and she stepped in. Her scent overwhelmed him.

"What's wrong?" She asked, tilting her head. "I promise I can help."

"I told you I won't kill you."

"Doesn't mean I don't want to help."

Again, for the second time in one night, he was taken aback. Deciding to shift his focus, his eyes fell upon her in the light. Now that he realized it, she was much more beautiful than he imagined. Her eyes were, indeed, the color of Elena's, her lips were as red as if she'd drunken blood herself, and her frame was perfect around her gray short dress that complimented her fire-red Christian Louboutins. He gulped and his gaze fell upon her neck, where there was a single silk scarf that rested to the side. He licked his lips.

"I don't want your help right now, Lana," he said, mostly in a daze himself as he tried to compel her. "I want a taste. Take off your scarf."

"A taste with you is never a taste," she countered, but undid her scarf knot. He frowned at her and stopped her as it fell to the floor. He gripped her shoulders and pulled her close.

"You will do what I say when I say it," he growled in her face. He used compulsion even though he knew he didn't need it – she was trembling underneath him. "If I want a taste, you give it to me, Lana. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," she agreed with a smile. He released her and smiled.

"You have a mouth on you," he distinctly made out the fresh deep red lipstick, most likely made up for him. "I like that."

He held his finger up to his lips and made a gesture for her to hush. Just in case, he spoke the command and she nodded.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered in her ear, pulling her closer and latching onto her hand. "Come on, princess, let's go upstairs?"

"Okay," she said quietly. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up the stairs so fast, she couldn't see anything until they reached his bedroom. He locked the door even though he knew he wasn't expecting his brother tonight. Besides, Stefan wouldn't dare come near him. When he turned around, he grasped the back of her neck, pulled her so close to him they were both breathing on each other, her breaths short and choppy, before he smiled and dipped his head low so he could reopen the wound he made. The one thing he was proud of his girl for was that she had put her hair to the side in a messy chestnut side ponytail, so it made it easier. His teeth tore into her flesh and he pulled her so close, he had to be extra careful not to break her back.

Feeling the blood flow slow, he immediately pulled back, earning her confusion as she came off of her blood rise. He smiled to himself before tearing through his own flesh, opening a deep red bite in his hand. He offered it to her. Without hesitation, seeing it was an order, she grabbed his wrist and began to suck at it. He tilted his head back before attacking her neck once more, feeling the powerful flow of both their blood coursing through them. With another flash, he moved them over to his bed, setting her on top of his lap as neither of them broke away from the blood flow they were receiving.

Finally, he pulled his hand away and ripped his teeth from her wound, smiling at the look on her face as she let the taste of his blood sink into her veins. She looked down at him and things were silent for less than ten seconds before he leaned forward and kissed her, the blood on his lips mixing with hers. He tasted his own blood as he, himself, bit down on her lip, earning a groan from her mouth and blood to seep through. It wasn't enough to make her pass out or die – he was free to drink as much as he wanted as their lips mashed together in perfect unison. He felt no comfort in kissing someone he knew only stayed around him because of his compulsion, but he felt the desire that build up in him regardless.

He flipped them over so he was on top of her, trying carefully not to crush her with his strength. Her hands explored his hair and she moaned softly. He smiled, but heard something downstairs. Deciding to be cautious, he trailed down her jaw line and pulled away, pulling her up with him.

"Don't stop," she shook her head. "Please?"

"Honey, no," he laughed and twirled her hair on his finger. "You're all…" His hands traced her neck that was dripping with blood. "Bloody."

"I don't care," she sighed. "Don't—"

He silenced her with a kiss, pulling her so close to him; she was lifted off the ground. After a few seconds, he let her go.

"Go shower," he compelled her. "I was careful, your clothes aren't bloody. Wash your neck," he warned. She nodded.

"Will you join?" She asked with a small light in her eye. He chuckled.

"I have to take care of something," he put his hand under her chin. "I might."

"Okay," she smiled. He leaned forward and kissed her, licking the rest of her blood off of her lip. After he sent her off to his bathroom, he looked at the bed and sighed. There were small drops of blood on the sheets. Using his speed, he disposed of the evidence before he dressed the bed once more and opened the door, flooding downstairs.

"Damon?" Stefan called out. "What are you doing home? I thought you would go out and try to get some other vampire to hate herself," Stefan smiled. Damon rolled his eyes.

"I tried," Damon held up his hands. "It's not my fault she'll never learn."

"What happened at the party?" Stefan asked carefully. Damon felt his hear t beat faster.

"What do you mean? We had snacks, we drank a few, we compelled, and then she went AWOL on me and started to cry. _That's _what happened." He smiled. "Why, brother? Starting to question?"

"You know I can't give her what she needs," he could tell Stefan was afraid to admit it, "but you can't, either."

"Oh, I can, brother," Damon smirked. "But – she doesn't want to be a vampire. There's nothing I can do about that, dear Steffie."

Stefan was silent for a minute before Damon began to panic. If Stefan found out what he was doing to his human…

"Are you taking a shower?" Stefan asked, crossing his arms. "Or a bath? Damon, don't leave the water alone! Are you insane? It could run over!"

"Just go eat some bunnies," Damon waved his hand. "What _are _you doing here, anyway?"

"Do I not deserve to be in my own house?"

"Well if you're asking me—"

"No, no, Damon," Stefan held up his hand. "I know what you're going to say and it's along the lines of what you always say, something charming and witty that you think is funny and snarky but really, it's just stupid," Stefan smiled. "I'm going out. I might not be back. Don't do anything stupid."

"Damn. Ruined my plans to throw a house party, Stefan, you know I love to mingle," Damon smiled, crossing his hands behind his back. Stefan shot him a glare as he paused at the door.

"Damon, go check on the damn water," Stefan ordered angrily as he slammed the door. When Damon was sure he was gone, he fled upstairs, catching Lana as she came out of the shower in nothing but a towel. He shut the door and locked it.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly. Damon waved his hand.

"Just my brother," he said. "Nothing important."

"You have a brother?" She asked, surprised. He nodded.

"Like I said; no one important."

"Can I meet him?" She asked in a small voice. He shook his head.

"No," he said firmly. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"You can't be known," Damon walked towards her and compelled her. "You must be kept my secret, Lana, you meet anyone I know or tell anyone what I am."

"What are you?" She whispered. He let himself change for a half a second before swallowing.

"A vampire," he nodded. She sucked in a deep breath and flinched.

"I always thought…"

"Don't be afraid," he warned her.

"I'm not," he didn't know if it was the compulsion or her real feelings that compelled her to say it to him. He leaned forward and kissed her.

"Go change," he ordered her after he pulled away. "I'll drive you home."

* * *

As he pulled up to the dorm, he felt a small pang inside of his stomach as he looked at her, her scarf covering her wound and her face holding a big smile. He didn't feel _guilty, _but he felt sad that she had to go. He didn't want to deal with Elena anymore. He didn't want to deal with the _pain _anymore.

But he could never love _her_, even as he looked at her and saw her exceptional beauty. He wouldn't allow himself. Never again would he fall in love. Never.

"Will you call?" She asked hopefully. He nodded.

"Yes," he said. "But like I said, my friends can't know you exist in my life."

"Can I ask why?"

"No."

"Well," she sighed. "Okay, then. My friends can't know?"

"Not that I'm a vampire," he smiled. "But I don't expect you not to brag."

She laughed awkwardly and blushed.

"How highly _do _you think of yourself?" She smiled.

"Pretty highly," he admitted and leaned forward to stroke her cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Whenever you call," she agreed before he leaned forward and pressed one more kiss to her lips. He pulled away and smiled.

"You'll always answer," he agreed. She smiled and climbed out of the car and he watched as she disappeared into her dorm. He waited until he heard her enter her room, her roommate greeting her.

With a slow smile, he backed out of the parking lot, and went back to the boarding house.

* * *

**A/N: I don't know if it was short or not, but I'm going to do another chapter. **

**Remember: Would you like to see a chapter when Damon goes to a party with Lana? Later, I mean. Not right away. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_XO_**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**


	3. III

**A/N: Quote-packed chapter! Almost all of it is from the episode – ****_The Killer. _****Spoilers if you haven't watched it because…well, you know. It's mostly taken from the show!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any of the motions/quotes/feelings from the television show, but I own everything and anything that has to do with Lana and Damon (including the plotline). Next chapter will be completely fictional!**

* * *

**III**

On his way to Elena's house in the morning, Damon began to wonder. His little rendezvous with his blood bag meant nothing, right? It couldn't mean anything. She had to know it will never mean anything to him – he still loved Elena, no matter how much he convinces himself that he's done with her and she's done with him.

Since Andie, he hadn't had a blood bag. That was when Elena paid no attention to him at all and kept him at an arm's length to ensure her safety with Stefan's love. But now…it's different. Lana wasn't Andie, because he cared about Andie. He couldn't allow himself to care about Lana – not after what happened to Andie and the things Elena does to him. He couldn't allow it.

But why did he feel the urge to call her?

As if she read his mind, Damon's phone rang and the caller ID read it was Lana. With a sly smile, he pressed the green answer key on his phone.

"Hi," he answered as he turned right.

"Hey," he could hear the sweetness in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" Damon asked.

"No," she said. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot," Damon pulled onto Elena's neighborhood. He caught the sound of her pen scribbling in her journal – she wouldn't notice him.

"One of my friends is having a party," Lana answered. "I wanted to know if you could come."

Damon paused for a second.

"A party?"

"Yes."

How was he to answer?

"Um," he hesitated as he pulled into Elena's driveway. "Can I call you back?"

"Sure," she said. "But the party is tonight."

"Okay," Damon said. "I'm not sure if I can come, but I'll find out."

"Okay," she agreed. "Just call me whenever."

He hung up the phone and stepped out of the car. Fleeing up to her room, he didn't bother to knock on the door as she opened it for him and he walked in without an invitation. She inhaled sharply and turned around.

"Excuse me?" She questioned. He turned with his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing?"

"Where's Stefan?" Damon asked.

"Okay…" She sighed. "Good morning to you, too."

_I'm not in the mood for games, Elena, _Damon wanted to snap. Instead, he said, "He's not answering his phone and he's not here—which, you know, _big _deal, we've only got to killer vampire hunter on the loose," Damon quipped sarcastically.

"I haven't talked to him yet today," Elena shook her head. Damon tilted his head. _Don't lie to me_.

"Mm," Damon resisted the urge to roll his eyes as the beautiful girl before him. He walked forward and held out his hand. "Give me your phone. Maybe he's dodging me." It wouldn't be the first time.

She rummaged through her purse.

"Why would he be dodging you?"

"Oh, I don't know," Damon sighed and again resisted the urge to roll his eyes and stick his tongue out like a little kid. "Maybe the hot, sweaty, dance party business." She paused and looked up at him slowly. _Yeah, that's right. I said it. _"Figured you spilled your guilty little guts the minute I left last night," he assumed. _And then I went home and had a little fun on my own, thank you very much. _

She looked down and avoided his eyes. He caught onto it. He could smell the fear and anxiety radiating off of her.

"Oh…" He smiled. "You didn't tell him, did you?" He taunted. He felt like a kindergartener, but it was worth it, seeing her blush a lovely shade of red as she pulled out her phone.

"No, Damon," she sighed. "I didn't tell him that I got high on blood like some crack head and dirty danced with you. It was a mistake, okay," she averted her eyes. _This is what you are, Elena. Don't fight it. _"I wasn't…I wasn't myself. And besides, he's already got enough to deal with trying to get me through his vampire stuff."

_That I keep trying to help you with. _

She placed the phone in his hand and he sighed.

"Oh, I see," he said gloomily. "Just a classic shame spiral."

She rolled her eyes and he felt a painful stab course through him. _Stay calm, Damon. Stay calm. She's worth nothing to you. You've got something better now. _

"I'm not in a shame spiral." _Yeah, right. _

"Oh you _so _are," he laughed. "Newbie vampire remorse – phew. Worse than a hangover."

_If you would only let me help you, love. _

"I'm _not _in a shame spiral, Damon," she said firmly. He was about to say something, but the phone he held in his hand that dialed Stefan's numbed finally reached its climax.

_"Hey, it's Stefan; leave a message." _

"So, either he's dodging both of us," Damon started.

"Or something's wrong," she finished for him.

* * *

"So we each take a different entrance – hit him at the same time!"

Damon was rounding up his troops, getting ready to infiltrate the vampire hunter that was holding Matt, Jeremy, and some other girl hostage. He was done with this vampire –he was ready to kill him and make it last.

Stefan decided to join the team. He walked in swiftly as if he hadn't been off the radar for at least an hour.

"Stefan!" Elena got off the couch and inhaled deeply. She gave him a strong hug, but Damon was too concerned to realize.

"Where the hell have you been?" Damon snapped.

"Coming up with a plan," Stefan answered.

"Yeah, we have a plan – plan is I'm going to rip Connor's heart out and I'm going to feed it to him."

"That's not a plan, we need to be careful. Connor has Jeremy and who knows how many other hostages."

"Hence the open heart surgery," Damon quipped. Elena intervened.

"Damon's right. Connor's strong but he's not going to be able to take all of us."

"I called the hybrids – they'll help too," Tyler informed.

"My mom put squad cars blocking the streets – they're saying it's a faulty gas line; we're good to go," Caroline emerged out of the hallway.

"Good," Damon looked around and thought, _no_, "Great. No cops, no witnesses – no reason to wait around," he logically schemed.

"All right, hold on," Stefan to the rescue. "You're not _all _going."

"He shot me like _nine _times," Tyler barked. "If we're killing him, I want in."

"He's got Jeremy, I'm going," Elena said stubbornly.

"Listen," Stefan interrupted. "Nobody is going anywhere until I figure out what we're walking into."

_Damn, Stefan, I hate it when you act Boss, _Damon growled inside. He really didn't like it when Little Brother had the balls to step up to the plate – even though Damon was the one who teased him about it. Oh how bad he needed his taste right now.

"Until _you _figure it out," Damon said slowly. Stefan nodded, but Damon could tell he was afraid. "Is that where you've been all morning – out buying Bossy pants?"

"This guy's known for setting traps, right? We'd be pretty dumb to walk into one, especially if he has werewolf venom."

"Does he?" Elena squeaked.

"He's had it before," Stefan answered.

Damon began to blow. How _dare _Stefan come in and question him, but he was right. _Damn. _He couldn't risk becoming so sick again and then Stefan wanting to become the hero and save him by giving over himself to Klaus.

"Fine. Fine. You want to take some time to do recon?" Damon challenged. "You get _one _hour. We're going to need some extra help, so where the hell is the _Wicked Witch of the West_?"

"She can't do magic."

"Really? Well call her - tell her Jeremy's life is in danger. Maybe that'll bring her out of retirement," Damon pushed past his brother with a shoulder tap, angry at everyone who stood in that room at the moment. Didn't they know he was always – _always _right?

* * *

He stepped outside and pulled out his phone quickly, dialing the number without haste. As soon as he called, she answered.

"Yes?"

"How fast can you be here?" He growled. There was rustling on the phone.

"I'm in class right now," she whispered. "I just stepped out, though; the Professor thinks I'm in the bathroom."

"What time does class end?" Not that he actually cared.

"In twenty minutes."

"Good," he sighed. "I want you to meet me at this address," he gave her the address of the apartment across from the Grill, "in an hour. Got it?"

"Got it," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Stop asking that," he snapped. "Make sure that when you get here, you don't know who I am. You don't tell anyone you know me. Text me when you're in the front of the building and I'll tell you if you can come up or not. Understood?"

"Yes," she said. "I'll see you in an hour."

He hung up the phone and headed to the apartment.

* * *

He took out three vervain sticks and a small crossbow.

"Who is he talking to?"

"Bonnie, hopefully," Damon pulled something out of the drawer and sighed. "At least she decided to make herself useful again."

He spread the sheet on the table and put objects on top of it to hold the corners.

"What is that?"

"It's our way in," Damon smiled. "Courtesy of Alaric Saltzman's interest in Mystic Falls' underground railroad."

"The tunnels," Elena gasped. "Like the ones in the Lockwood cellar?"

"Yep," Damon snapped a picture of the map with his phone. Elena's phone began to ring.

"What did you find out?" Elena answered.

"I could only make out the voices," Stefan told them.

"Does he have any hostages?"

"Three," Stefan answered. "Elena – it's Matt and April Young."

"What?" Elena said, surprised.

"Those two idiots," Damon barked. "They're like danger magnets."

"We have to get them out of there."

"I know. I just need a little more time."

"Clock is ticking, brother."

"You know," Stefan growled. "I can do without the color commentary," he snapped the phone shut.

"I'm going in these tunnels," Elena decided.

"No, you're not," Damon tugged her arm back, trying to calm down from her warmth. "This guy doesn't know you're a vampire – let's keep it that way."

"Well maybe that's it," Elena's mind began to spin. How he hated it when she tried to be more than just the damsel in distress. "I can offer to trade myself in exchange for the hostages." She began to walk away, but Damon almost scoffed in front of her face. What a ridiculous thing to say.

"No," he said, staring at her incredulously and pulling her back. "Best case scenario is: now you're a hostage. Worst case scenario: he figures you out; kills you on the spot."

She smacked his hand away angrily. _Elena, I'm only trying to help you! _

"Stop treating me like I can't handle myself. Alaric trained me and I've been practicing with Stefan," she snapped and walked away.

"So what? Now you're going to take on a professional killer?" _Darling, I hate to sound rude, but you've been a vampire for, like, _three _days! _

She scoffed and he fled to the bed where the crossbow lay. He picked it up and pointed at her.

"Bang," he exemplified. "You're dead. Now what?"

She fled to him in an instant, knocked the bow out of his hand and crawled on top of him, pushing him down to the bed and holding him  
hostage as her own. She held the bow at his chest and ridiculed him.

"That shot's no good. It has to be the heart," she leaned a little further down. "So now _you're _dead."

Damon was surprised at her speed and agility. He saw the flicker of emotions in her eyes as they both realized her position and he tensed immediately. Both of them were silent until he laughed it off.

"For someone who doesn't want to be like me," he brushed the crossbow away, "you _sure _are good at it."

She shook her head.

"My brother is the only thing that's holding me together now, Damon," she warned. "If anything happens to him—"

"We'll get him out," he promised. "I promise."

She looked at him and began to believe his certainty.

* * *

"Stefan's on his way," Damon informed her. "He said it'll be over soon."

"Will it? I mean, haven't we already been here before with Jeremy? Isn't this why we sent him to Denver?" Elena stressed. _Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy. _

"Well, we'll get him out of this and we'll compel him down to the Bahamas. Maybe he'll find an island girl," Damon smirked. Elena looked at him and tilted her head disapprovingly.

Stefan entered Alaric's apartment.

"Did you find the tunnel map?" He asked Damon. Damon turned around and held up his cell phone before he put it in his pocket.

"Got it," Damon said, putting it away. "It's in his weapons drawer with seven stakes," he paused, "a weird MacIver crossbow and the last remaining vervain in Mystic Falls," Damon informed. "So," he paused again to smile. He was getting irritated. "How about we get this party started?"

"Not yet," Damon's annoyingly bossy brother turned him down. Damon felt like he was going to punch Stefan square in the mouth. "Klaus is sending one of his men. He's going to take the front and you and I can take the tunnels."

"Since when do we team up with Klaus," something wasn't right, "and the lollipop guild?"

"Well I already told you," Stefan sighed. "Connor has werewolf venom. We need someone to draw his fire; the hybrids are immune to it, so they're our best bet."

_How is that logical?_ Even though it was, Damon wasn't willing to admit it.

"Well how are you sure he _has _werewolf venom?" Damon's voice became high pitched in anger. "Why is Klaus involved, Stefan?"

"You know, stop being _paranoid_, Damon."

"Start telling the_ truth_, Stefan," Damon inched closer. "Why is Klaus involved? Did he compel you?"

"I am telling you the truth," Stefan argued. "This is the best way to get everyone out."

"Okay, what is _with _you two? We're wasting time!" Elena intervened, yet again. _I wonder what it is, Elena, I wonder what it is. _

"You know what," Damon finally realized. "She's right. Screw your plan," _that's right, brother. _"I'll kill Connor myself."

He was surprised when Elena followed him. Normally, she would follow Stefan. Has something changed?

He hadn't had much time to think about it as Stefan pulled out a vervain stake and injected it into his back, making Damon fall to the floor, unconscious.

* * *

He was beginning to awaken, his throat groggy and his mind reeling. He groaned and felt someone shake his arm.

"Damon? Hey. Can you get up?" He heard Elena's sickingly sweet velvet voice greet him. He moaned.

"Ugh, my God. Where's Stefan?" Damon groaned. "I'm going to kill him," he slowly lifted his head to find it burned like he was being branded. "Ow!"

"He took your ring?" Damon fell to the floor as Elena defended Damon even though Stefan was nowhere to be seen. "Why would he _do _that?" She growled angrily.

"Because he's playing us. All this stalling, getting hybrids, taking my ring – add it up," he moaned, still feeling slightly groggy. Elena realized. "He's either made a deal with Klaus or he's compelled him."

"Then I need to get in there," she turned. He didn't have the strength to pull her back, but he had enough rage to yell at her.

"No, Elena," he groaned. _Why can't she listen? _"This guy is dangerous!"

She whipped around.

"So am I, Damon!" She barked.

"Then you need to be smart," Damon warned. "This guy doesn't know you're a vampire. You get as close as you can – you kill him."

She looked at Damon before speeding out of the room. He sat down and leaned against the couch in the dark, his head rolling back. How could he be so stupid? Stefan, of all people, he should have realized.

Suddenly, there was a buzz in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and slowly made out the letters of the text message he received.

_I'm here, _it read. _Can I come up? _

He tousled his hair and thought before he responded.

_Yes, _he typed. _Come up and don't let anyone see you. _

He waited for her to come up. Suddenly, he saw the door open and he made out the faint figure at the door.

"Damon?" She asked, squinting in the light, trying to find him in the darkness. "What's wrong?"

"Stefan took my ring," Damon groaned. She was confused. "Stefan – my brother."

"Your brother took your ring," she made out slowly. "Can't you just get it back?"

"It's a magic ring, Lana," he explained. "It helps me go out in the daylight."

"Oh," she nodded. "I get it."

"Yes," he smiled, suddenly feeling himself again. "So I can't go out quite yet. I'm too weak."

"What did he do to you?" She made her way over and crouched down to him and took hold of his hand. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," Damon's eyes glittered. "With a little help," he compelled her. She nodded and offered her wrist.

"Go ahead."

He looked at her before tearing his teeth into her flesh. Considering he wasn't feeling all that great, he took as much as he needed and didn't give her any of his blood. She saw the color flood back to his face and smiled.

"So," she leaned back. "Are you coming to the party tonight?"

"Do I have to?" Damon groaned. She smiled.

"I'd like you to," she said honestly. He looked into her eyes and saw actual hope.

_Oh, come on, Damon, _Damon growled to himself. _It's not like you have anything better to do. _

"Yeah, okay," Damon nodded. "I'll go to the party tonight. What time?"

"Eight," she said, but then paused. "It's…kind of…um…"

"What?"

"A dance party," she finished, feeling the aftereffects of him compelling her. "A _Just Dance _party."

"Seriously?" Damon laughed. "A video game party?"

"What?" She said sheepishly. "We're college students. We like to do that sort of thing."

"You're lucky I like you," he smiled. She smiled back and looked around.

"Is this your apartment or something?" She asked, gesturing around. Damon's eyes lowered.

"No," he sighed and looked at her. "Listen, I'll come to the party tonight, but I need you to leave, okay?"

"But I just got here," she complained. He shook his head.

"You can go wait for me at the boarding house, okay? I'll take you to the party if you want," he reached out and stroked her bite on her wrist. "Put a bracelet on for me? A thick one?"

"Sure," she nodded. "I'll be at the house."

"Okay," he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "You can shower if you want. Do you have something to wear tonight?"

"Isn't this okay?" She smiled and gestured towards her outfit. He laughed.

"If you want to look like you just got out of classes," he nodded and pulled out his wallet. "Go buy yourself something?"

"No, I can't…" She rejected it politely. He shook his head and compelled her.

"Yes, you can," he told her. She nodded and smiled.

"I can," she agreed. "What do I buy?"

"Surprise me," he ordered. "Now leave."

"Bye," she said, getting up. Damon watched as she left and waited until she hopped in her car and fled to pull out his phone and look at the map of the tunnels.

* * *

"Good work, brother," Damon sulked in the shadows as his dear brother brought out his hostage.

Stefan inhaled.

"It's over, Damon," he told him. "I have him."

"Not after what I just went through," Damon growled. "I had to punch through a boiler room basement into a _septic tank_ just to get into this _stupid _tunnel!" Damon smiled. "But it'll be worth it," his eyes flickered to the Hunter.

"I'm taking him with me."

"That's the thing – you're _not_," Damon warned. "I don't know what you're up to or what Klaus has over you – but even if I have to go _through _you, I'm going to kill him," Damon threatened.

"You better back off, Damon," Stefan argued.

"Why? Because Klaus wants him alive?"

"This has nothing to do with Klaus, you're just going to have to trust me on that," Stefan compromised.

"Don't want to," Damon wasn't in the mood for Stefan's shenanigans. "Don't have to," he continued to walk forward. "Not ganna," he said with a frown. "Now give him to me, brother," _Stefan, don't make this harder than it has to be – I have a party to get to._

Stefan inhaled. _Don't do it. _

"Run," _he did it, _"as fast as you can."

Stefan launched at Damon, blocking him off from getting Connor by pinning him to the wall.

"You're _not _going to kill him!" Stefan growled. Damon flipped their positions and brought him to another wall, grasping at his shirt tightly.

"Why are you protecting him?" Damon growled. "Tell me!" He fought to dig his nails into Stefan's chest, in which he succeeded. "Tell me," he choked out, despite Stefan's groans of pain. _You deserve it! _

"Klaus will kill anyone who knows," Stefan argued. Damon dug in further.

"Then it has to be good," Damon countered. "Spill it." He dug in further.

"Ugh!" Stefan groaned in agony.

"Spill it!" Damon barked.

"Connor's tattoo is the key to a cure," Stefan spilled.

"A cure for what?"

"For her," Stefan spoke. "For Elena."

Hearing that made him stop.

"Klaus told you there's a cure for vampirism?" Damon questioned.

"Yeah. And if Connor dies, we'll lose it forever," Stefan choked out. "I know it's crazy, Damon, but it's hope. Do you understand me? It's her only hope!"

Damon thought for a minute before pulling his claws out of Stefan, watching Stefan's face let out a long sigh of relief.

* * *

Damon and Stefan walked up to Elena, who was angrily shoving dirt to the side. Stefan spoke softly.

"Elena?"

She looked up from her burial, dry blood crusting her chin. Damon looked at her with remorse – he didn't mean for that to happen.

"I need to bury him," she mumbled. "I killed him…I should…I should bury him," she began to dig.

Stefan looked at Damon who said nothing.

Stefan walked forward.

"Hey. Hey, come on."

"Don't! I heard you talking to him. Making some secret deal with Klaus? You said you were going to protect Jeremy…keep me from," she pointed to the dead man, "this." She inhaled sharply. "You said that I could trust you, Stefan."

Stefan lowered his head and Damon felt sad. He didn't want it to be this way. He knew how much Stefan loved her – he was doing this for her. He was making sure she could have the life she wanted. Stefan didn't deserve this treatment.

"Elena, it's complicated," Damon intervened this time.

"No, it's not complicated, Damon!" She snapped. "You want to know why?" She challenged. He could see the impending burning in her pupils. "Because…because he's dead now," she growled. "You – you told me to kill him." _Oh, honey… _"So I did." _Why do you have to listen to me? _

He looked at her and saw her tears of sadness. It made him feel so bad inside – it made him feel like there was nothing in the world that could cheer her up. Nothing.

"I…" She paused. "I killed someone. I-I-kill-killed someone…" She cried, gasping hard.

* * *

Back at the house, Damon threw his leather jacket on the bed in exasperation. When he got into his room, he expected Lana to be waiting for him, but it was only five o' clock. She left a note on the bed:

_Damon – _

_I'll be back soon. I just went out to grab a bite to eat. I'll text you before I come in, as I suppose you'd want me to do._

_XXXX_

He sighed and picked out his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and held it to his ear. She answered.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hey," he said.

"Did you get my note?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Did you go shopping?"

"Yes," he could feel her smile. "Thank you."

"No problem," he smiled to himself. He was beginning to feel better already. "Come to the house, please, I'm not feeling all that great."

"Oh no," she clucked her tongue. "Do you not want to go tonight?"

"No, no," he shook his head. He needed something to take his mind off of everything. "I'll go. I just need a fix."

"Oh," she nodded. "_That _kind of fix."

"And many others," he smiled. "Don't worry; we'll do what we did the other night, I won't be so cruel just to feed on you and you not feed on me. Are you done with dinner?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I had to go a little farther out, though, that Grill everyone talked about was closed. Just my luck. So I'll be back in ten minutes or something."

"Okay," Damon agreed. "You don't have to text me – I'll know."

"Are you sure your brother won't hear me?" She asked wearily. "Isn't he a _vampire_," she whispered, "too?"

"He's too wrapped up in himself to hear," Damon sighed. "Just come back soon."

"I'm leaving right now," she agreed. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

He sighed as he ended the call and sauntered over to Stefan's room. He sat down in the chair and waited as Stefan came out of the bathroom.

"How is she?" Damon questioned. Stefan sighed.

"Angry – full of guilt. Hasn't said a word to me other than she wants to be left alone," Stefan informed sadly. Damon hummed. "Is that my journal?" Stefan questioned, gesturing towards the book in Damon's hands.

Damon smiled. "Had to go through six locks to get it. Needed something to back up your insanity," Damon leaned back in his chair. "Figured out how to tell Klaus you lost a Hunter and a Hybrid?" Damon questioned.

"He's on a plane," Stefan put his journal back. "Which means I get to live for another six hours," Stefan added.

"Yeah, well I've got your back," Damon quipped. "You know, when he comes to murder you." It was funny, but not really – considering.

"Thanks," Stefan mumbled. "Thanks for not saying anything to Elena."

"About what?" Damon almost laughed, amused. "The cure that we don't have, can't find, and probably doesn't exist?" He smiled. "You're welcome."

"She doesn't need to know that she killed her chance of being human again."

"Alleged chance," Damon corrected.

"I believe him Damon," Stefan countered. "You didn't hear Klaus' story. I believe every word he said."

"Well, I'll remain skeptic for now," Damon told him. "So what's your next move?"

Stefan sighed.

"He said there was a Brotherhood of the Five. Which means there are other Hunters out there; I'm just going to keep looking until I find one," Stefan said simply.

"Sure Stefan. Since you asked, I'd be happy to go on a suicide mission with you for a potentially non-existent cure," he sipped his drink merrily. "No problem."

Stefan laughed sarcastically.

"Yet a couple hours ago, you were ready to rip my heart out," Stefan smiled.

"Because you were being a pain in the ass," Damon growled. Stefan sipped his drink. "Answer me one thing – why do you want a cure?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"A legitimate one," Damon joked. "You want a cure because she's a vampire and she's not cut out to be or because you can't love her if she is one?" _Yes, brother. I played that card. You know it's true. _

Stefan stared at him.

"I'll always love her. But she's not supposed to be this person. I don't want her to be."

_Good answer. _

"Well, if I'm going to ride this fairytale to its conclusion – let me be clear about one thing," Damon growled.

"What's that?" Stefan asked. Damon stepped forward.

"I'm fine with her either way, brother," it's a lie, but he sipped his drink like it was the truth. He didn't want her to be a vampire if it meant she was in agony every single second of every single day. "So I do this – I'm doing it for you."

Stefan said nothing as Damon finished his drink, put it on the table, and walked out.

* * *

**A/N: So that was a quote – packed chapter! I did it off of the actual show, so remember – nothing was mine except for when Lana came in or Damon's thoughts. **

**I'll upload soon…but maybe not tonight. But next up – a party! Damon going to a party…huh! By the way, thanks for all the follows/favorites/and reviews! Keep 'em coming!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_X _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**


	4. IV

**A/N: So, due to the **Guest **who submitted a review requesting for another chapter tonight, here it is! This is STRICTLY fictional. Next chapter will be along with the television show, but I'm definitely not getting to that one tonight!**

**Keep it up! **

**By the way - kind of a little graphic chapter. Keep in mind, I don't do full-on lemons, but for this story, it's necessary to push the envelope a bit when showing Damon's possessive/sexual side. So...just keep that in mind when reading this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or Damon (sadly), but I own Lana, Nicole, and any other OCs that I have (they'll be in this chapter because of the whole party thing, PLUS the plotline! Oh, and I own NONE of the songs that are featured in this chapter!**

* * *

**IV**

By the time she got back, opening the door, Damon had already taken a shower. She walked in as he was rustling his hair with a towel while holding the towel at his waist intact. She smiled as she walked inside. He noticed she was wearing a different outfit. He smiled back.

"Hi," she grinned. He nodded and gulped, slowly taking her essence in. Her hair was done differently; it looked like it had been blown out so the edges of her hair framed her face. She was wearing new jeans, black flat shoes, and a very revealing red top that stopped at her torso. He smiled at her and felt himself tense in desire as his eyes roamed over her scarfed neck.

"I like your new clothes," he praised. "Better than the ones before," he added. She thanked him and threw her schoolbag on the floor.

"How was your day?" She asked. "Besides your brother stealing your ring?"

"Horrible," Damon said with a smile. "But bearable," he sighed. "What time do we have to leave?"

"Seven thirty?" She guessed. "It depends on how fast you drive."

"I drive fast."

"Seven thirty, then, so in fifteen minutes," she smiled and pulled a little gold card out of her pocket. "Here you go," she handed his credit card to him. As she handed it over, he caught her wrist and spun her to him, her back to his front. He could feel her steady pulse racing. With a smile, his fangs teased her neck.

"Keep the card," he put it into her back pocket and began to undo her scarf. Where she was bitten, he reopened the wound with his teeth, tearing through her skin once more. She relaxed into it as he scratched his own palm and pressed it to her lips. Both of them felt the circulation run through them as he fed harder and harder.

Suddenly, she began to fall at the knees. Damon pulled away and held her up with his arm. He turned her around as she felt limp in his arms.

"Lana?" He asked. "Are you okay?"

"Too much," she added. "You took just a little too much," she warned him. He nodded.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't realize it. Here," he bit into his wrist to give her a larger amount of his blood. Once she fed off of him for a few seconds, she could stand straight. He still had her in his arms, his forearm supporting her lower back. She stood up straight as he dipped down to kiss her, this time there was no blood sharing. He just kissed her over and over again, trailing down her neck and licking the blood wound clean. He pulled her lips back to hers and steadied her face in his hands.

"Mm," she mumbled. "Damon, we have to go," she warned him. He nipped at her cheek as he moved south.

"Soon," he muttered against her skin as she tilted back.

"No, Damon, really," she argued. "It's seven twenty, Damon, we've got to leave."

"Not yet," he kissed her shoulder. She shuddered.

"Damon, please," she pleaded. He snapped up and put a strong finger under her chin and pulled her forward.

"We'll leave soon," he compelled her. "Not right now. Right now, you're going to let me kiss you."

"You'll ruin my hair," she complained. _Damn this girl has a strong will_.

"Lana," he warned.

"Okay," she sighed. "You can kiss me."

He smiled before kissing her again; doing the one thing she didn't want as he rustled his hands through her hair. She put her arms on his elbows as he deepened the kiss and picked her up. Holding her on his hip, he slid his towel down and put on his boxers and pants swiftly before he pinned her against a wall and began to feed off of her again, this time from her mouth. He bit down on her lower lip and did the same for himself so both of them were getting a taste of each other's blood. Her hands trailed alongside his stomach and rested there before he pulled away. Her breathing was heavy and took up most of the oxygen in the room. _I'm really that good, huh? _He thought to himself smugly before slipping on a shirt and his leather jacket. He checked the time – it was seven thirty.

"See, Lana," he kissed her. "I told you I'm fast."

"Yeah," she gulped, still struck from what just happened. "I don't want to know how fast."

"I can be faster," he teased. She shook her head.

"No, no," she said, still in a trance. "I think I'm good."

"Well, you're spending the night with me tonight," he ordered her. "So it doesn't really matter what you say."

"Oh," she frowned. "Okay. Can we go now?"

"Sure," he extended his hand. "Come on," he tossed her his scarf and she tied it on herself, making sure the blood didn't seep through. He took his thumb and wiped the blood off her lower lip, taking one last taste before they left.

* * *

_It's Raining Men! Hallelujah, it's Raining Men! Men, men! _

Damon stood beside his date as they gathered around the snack table with her friends. The party had to have at least twenty people and there were only four remotes available. Song after song after song; he was just glad Lana hadn't decided to pull him up for one yet. He grabbed her hand and she shot him a small smile and squeezed his hand lightly before turning to her friends and they resumed their conversation. Damon sipped his drink as he turned to the men beside them – the boyfriends. He was only glad he was never going to be one of _those _guys again – he was never going to have to take commands from a girl.

"So you're the infamous boyfriend of hers," one of the men, Josh, Damon thought, spoke to him. Damon raised his eyebrow.

"Not her boyfriend," Damon shrugged. "It's complicated, I guess."

"Damien, is it?" One of the other boyfriends asked him.

"Damon," Damon corrected him.

"Are you a student on campus?"

"No," Damon shook his head. "I live in Mystic Falls. It's around twenty minutes from here if you drive normally," Damon sipped his drink again.

"Hey, Damon," Lana tapped his shoulder beside him. "I'm going to do a song. You want to watch?"

Before Damon could answer, all the other guys jumped up and followed their girlfriends out. Damon sighed.

"I guess I will," Damon exhaled. She gave him a light kiss.

"Thank you for coming," she said. He nodded.

"You owe me," he reminded her. She smiled.

"Cash that in anytime, darling," she added before pulling him up and leaving him on the couch of the game room. He watched as her friend, Nicole, handed her a remote and they began the song.

_"I threw a wish in a well; don't ask me – I'll never tell. I looked at you as it fell, but now you're in my way. I trade my soul for a wish, pennies and dimes for a kiss, I wasn't looking for this, but now it's in my way._

_"Your stare was holding, ripped jeans, skin was showing, hot night, wind was blowing – where you think you're going, baby?!" _

He watched as they danced and the boys beside him all filled up with testosterone. He had to admit, he could see the human turn-on it gave them, watching their girlfriends' dance to a love song, and Damon felt it himself. But as he watched as they all laughed beside each other and his own pet give him a light wink, he felt something much more than desire for her body. He felt desire for her life. He wanted to shake it off, but he couldn't.

_I can't kill, _he warned himself. _You can't kill, Damon. Don't even think about it. Either compel her to leave or keep this up. _

As the song progressed and came to an end, he felt himself begin to desire her even more, but it was starting to build in a different way.

When it finished, she came over to him and he pulled her onto his lap. She was breathing heavily, but she had won before.

"Why are you panting?" Damon chuckled. "That was a piece of cake."

"You try it," she challenged. "It's not as easy as it seems."

"Yeah, right," he laughed. "It's like dancing, except with premeditated moves!"

"Oh, really?" She proposition. "Are you prepared to make a deal?"

"I'd bet my life," he smiled, "because I'd win in a heartbeat."

"Okay," she nodded. "Jimmy – we're going next!" She informed the host of the party. He nodded towards her and she told him to put in the second _Just Dance_.

"I don't get to pick the song?" Damon asked. She shook her head.

"You think it's so easy," she challenged. "That means you can do any song."

"Okay," Damon nodded. "Bring it, baby."

"About that bet," she smiled as Jimmy handed her a remote as well as him one. "If I win, I get to meet your friends," she stepped closer to him, whispering. He raised his eyebrow, but knew she wasn't going to win, so agreed.

"Deal," he nodded. "What about if I win?"

"What do you want?"

"Nothing more than the satisfaction of beating you," he smiled. She laughed. "You pick."

"I pick?" She questioned. "That's not how a bet goes," she informed him. He nodded.

"I know that," he said. "But I don't want anything. What do you want most from me? Besides meeting my friends?"

"If you win," she said slowly. "You take me out," she decided. "On a real date."

"On a date?" He smiled. "That's what you want?"

"That's what I want," she decided. "_If _you win, which you won't."

"I will," he smiled and kissed her before pointing his remote at the screen. "_Sway _by Michael Bublé?" He questioned. "Interesting choice."

"Mm," she smiled as she pressed play. The two characters came on the screen, and he realized who he was instantly. They began to play; it was a duet.

_"When marimba rhythms start to play_  
_Dance with me, make me sway_  
_Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore_  
_Hold me close, sway me more_

_"Like a flower bending in the breeze_  
_Bend with me, sway with ease_  
_When we dance you have a way with me_  
_Stay with me, sway with me_

_"Other dancers may be on the floor_  
_Dear, but my eyes will see only you_  
_Only you have that magic technique_  
_When we sway I go weak_

_"I can hear the sounds of violins_  
_Long before it begins_  
_Make me thrill as only you know how_  
_Sway me smooth, sway me now_

_"Other dancers may be on the floor_  
_Dear, but my eyes will see only you_  
_Only you have that magic technique_  
_When we sway I go weak_

_"I can hear the sounds of violins_  
_Long before it begins_  
_Make me thrill as only you know how_  
_Sway me smooth, sway me now_

_For an extra flair, he dipped her as she came over to him and they had a second to spare. She looked up at him, breathless. They both looked at the screens – she was winning. Damon stepped it up._

_"When marimba rhythms start to play_  
_Dance with me, make me sway_  
_Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore_  
_Hold me close, sway me more_

_"Like a flower bending in the breeze_  
_Bend with me, sway with ease_  
_When we dance you have a way with me_  
_Stay with me, sway with me_

_"When marimba rhythms start to play_  
_Hold me close, make me sway_  
_Like an ocean hugs the shore_  
_Hold me close, sway me more_

_"Like a flower bending in the breeze_  
_Bend with me, sway with ease_  
_When we dance you have a way with me_  
_Stay with me, sway with me."_

"Damn it!"

The voice didn't come from him – it came from her. She shook her head and bit her tongue at the screen as she read the final results – Damon had won. He smiled at her widely.

"I guess I'll have to take you out on a date," he shrugged. She put her hands on her hips. "Say it."

"Say it?" She questioned with a smile.

"I won," he taunted. "Come on – say it."

"What are you? Five?" She chuckled.

"Don't say it, fine," he sighed. "I guess we'll have to do another one and I won't take you out?"

"Oh, come on!" She groaned. "Fine, Damon, you won."

"There's my girl," he smiled. "Come on, want a drink?"

She took his hand and he guided her to the kitchen, where they grabbed a drink. They leaned against the counters, facing each other. She scowled at him.

"What?" He chuckled.

"You make everything seem so effortless," she envied. "It's frustrating."

"Not everything is handed to me, darling," Damon leaned forward and sipped his Coca-Cola.

"You make me do everything you want me to," she pouted. "I always do everything you want me to – don't think I don't know."

"I know you know," he said, stepping closer and wrapping his finger around a strand of her hair. "The only reason I do that is for the better of both of us. I didn't compel you to lose that round – that was all on you, darling."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She smiled. He smiled back at her.

"Is it working?"

"No."

"Then no," he admitted. "Listen," he set their drinks down softly on the counter and grasped her hands. "You do these things because you want to do them, Lana. You want to kiss me. You want to let me feed off of you, tell me that's not true."

He wasn't exactly telling her a lie – she does want to do these things – it's the push the compulsion gives people. She wanted to have everything that was done to her done. Half the time, he didn't compel her.

"You're right," she blushed. "I guess I do."

"Mmmm," he smiled. "Want to start now?"

"Here?" She chuckled. "Can't you wait until we get home?"

"No," his ears perked up to hear another song being played. "Remember how I told you I'm fast?" He questioned.

She raised her eyebrow.

"Yes?" She said wearily. He grabbed her hand and led her into the bathroom.

"Let me show you how fast I can be."

_"Don't do love, don't do friends_  
_I'm only after success_  
_Don't need a relationship_  
_I'll never soften my grip_

_"Don't want cash, don't want card_  
_Want it fast, want it hard_  
_"Don't need money, don't need fame_  
_I just want to make a change_

_"I just wanna change_  
_I just wanna change_  
_I just wanna change_  
_I just wanna change_  
_I just wanna change_

_"I know exactly what I want and who I want to be_  
_I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine_  
_I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_

_"One track mind, one track heart_  
_If I fail, I'll fall apart_  
_Maybe it is all a test 'cause I feel like I'm the worst_  
_So I always act like I'm the best_

_"If you are not very careful_  
_Your possessions will possess you_  
_TV taught me how to feel_  
_Now real life has no appeal_

_"It has no appeal_  
_It has no appeal_  
_It has no appeal_  
_It has no appeal_  
_It has no appeal_

_"I know exactly what I want and who I want to be_  
_I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine_  
_I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_

_"I know exactly what I want and who I want to be_  
_I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine_  
_I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_

_"I'm gonna live, I'm gonna fly_  
_I'm gonna fail, I'm gonna die_  
_I'm gonna live, I'm gonna fly_  
_I'm gonna fail, gonna die, die, die, die_

_"I know exactly what I want and who I want to be_  
_I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine_  
_I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_

_"I know exactly what I want and who I want to be_  
_I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine_  
_I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_  
_Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh."_

* * *

**A/N: So, yeah. Well, anyway, the next chapter will be here soon. I have break this week, so I'll most likely upload around Tuesday/Wednesday. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_X_**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_PS: If you want to see Lana's outfits – they're on Polyvore (and the link is on the bottom of my profile page). Plus, if you want to, you can go check out my Twitter account while you're at it. I post when I update sometimes. Or when I'm going to update. _**


	5. V

**A/N: Thanksgiving break….it's the time of the updates because I've got nothing better to do! Yay for being lazy!**

**LOLZ! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing about or dealing with TVD, especially the quotes. But I do own Lana and any other OCs that happen to appear. By the way, the scene where Damon and Shane are talking, I cut two lines out because I couldn't make out what Shane was saying…and it would've confused all of us with that I put down! So I just cut that out and started with Shane's next line. **

* * *

**V**

Even though it was late at night, he crawled out of the bed and began to step into his clothes as if he was wide awake, hoping not to startle her from her slumber. For once, he failed, waking her up with a slight stretch.

"Damon?" She squinted in the darkness. "What are you doing?"

"I've got to go," Damon squeezed out as he buckled his pants. "I should be back to the boarding house – I don't want brother dearest noticing I was gone."

"Can't you just stay the night for once?" She groaned. He smiled.

"Have I ever _not _stayed the night before?" He asked her, curious. She shrugged.

"No," she admitted, sitting up and pulling the sheets to her chest. "But you can't stay the night? Really?"

"Sorry," he mumbled. "But no."

"Oh, come on—"

"Lana, I said no," he sped over to her and tilted her chin up with his finger, compelling her. "Now go back to sleep," he bit his wrist and fed her some blood before pulling away. "Your bites should clear up. Make sure no one sees them – which means you must wear what you need to wear, but don't make it look conspicuous. Put a scarf around your neck and," he paused, "_don't _call me unless I call you. Understood?"

"Understood," she repeated and yawned. "I'm tired," she stated. He grinned.

"You are," he nodded as she fell back onto the bed and fell into a light slumber. He brushed her hair out of the ways of her neck so the wound could heal without her hair getting bloody. He kissed her forehead before grabbing his phone and slipping it into his back pocket. He slipped his shirt over his head, grabbed his leather jacket and put it on, ruffled his hair in the mirror so it looked somewhat decent, and sped out of the dorm building like it was on fire. The one thing he liked about his blood bag was that she had a dorm to herself.

Smiling, he opened his car, jumped inside, turned on the stereo, and bobbed his head as he backed out of the parking lot.

* * *

He woke up in the morning and slipped into the shower. It was late at night when he got back, and he quietly slipped into bed and slept after a full night's work. He let the water exfoliate his skin and run off his back as he engulfed in the sweet coldness of the shower water. It felt no different to him than regular water, but it helped save money on the water bill at the end of the month.

Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist, he sauntered into the bedroom and found no unread text messages, phone calls, or emails on his phone. His heart sank to his chest – it was exactly like last night. Did _anyone _need him around here?

He sighed and called Lana. As usual, she answered within two seconds of the first ring.

"Good morning," she singsonged. "How are you?"

"Good," he admitted. "You seem cheerful."

"I am," he could feel her smile on the other end of the line. "I've got a test today," she stated. He chuckled.

"That's what's making you happy?" He asked her. She shook her head.

"No, of course not," she snorted. "It's the fact that this test is so easy, I could close my eyes and fill out the answers. I've studied it over and over again, and, if I finish early, which I will, I can come and see you – if I'm…um…"

"Allowed to?" He finished for her. She hesitated.

"Yeah, I guess that's the word," she said in an off-tone. "Is it?"

"Sure," Damon shrugged. "Sounds right."

"Right," she nodded. "If I'm allowed to….am I allowed to?"

"If you want," he agreed. "You know where to find me; you just know the precautions you have to take."

"Got it," she let out a breath of air. "Are you sure you don't want me to meet you somewhere else?"

"No, the boarding house is fine," Damon felt his phone buzz for a second. "Lana, hold on. I'm going to put you on hold."

"Okay," she agreed cheerfully as he clicked over to the other line. "Hello?"

"Damon," Elena breathed out. "Damon, I need your help."

"What is it?" Damon suddenly became worried. _Knock it off, Damon. You know she loves Stefan; she's always going to choose Stefan. Don't do this again._

"It's Jeremy," she cried. "I did something…I don't know what I did…but he died."

"He has his ring on," it was a statement, but it sounded like a question.

"Yes," Elena breathed out. "Damon, please. Come over here, now."

"I'll be right there," he promised.

"Okay. Hurry," she added. He clicked the phone shut and turned back to Lana's line.

"Listen," he sighed. "I have to go."

"Me, too," she admitted. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Just check in with me first before you come to the house, okay?"

"Okay," he could hear the confusion in her voice – after all, he just told her she didn't have to.

After saying goodbye, they both hung up the phone and Damon darted out.

* * *

"I can't believe this happened," she sobbed. "What am I going to say to him?"

"Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Rick crazy?" Damon offered with a slight amusement. After all, Jeremy was going to be fine. Elena paced back and forth, clearly not amused by Damon's comment. She held her hands out to the side, fearful of getting her bloodied hands all over her clothes. Damon's amused, light smile turned into a worried frown. "You should've called Stefan," Damon admitted. This wasn't his area of expertise – comforting the woman he loved when he knew she was never, ever going to love him back.

"I don't…" she trailed off, "want to talk to him. He's been lying to me…and hiding things from me. He compelled Jeremy to forget…God knows what," she snapped.

"Well, in all fairness," Damon inched carefully. "I think you _killing _him _kind of _trumps that," he suggested. She stared at him with evil eyes and he backed off quickly, not wanting to poke the bear during its hibernation. Nevertheless, he still argued, "I mean, you should've called Stefan," he complained.

"I don't _trust _him right now, Damon," she whispered. He groaned at himself inwardly and cursed himself as the odd thought of _"speak of the devil" _crossed his mind.

"PS," he looked down as she mentally yelled at him, "I…called Stefan."

"Hey," Stefan breathed out, panting. "What happened? Why didn't you call me?"

"It's just…I need to…go upstairs and shower – clean all the blood off my hands," Elena rushed upstairs without so much as another glance towards Stefan. Damon sighed inwardly and checked his phone. Nada.

Suddenly, Jeremy awoke with a large gasp.

"Welcome back," Stefan muttered with a sigh. "How are you feeling?"

Jeremy looked confused.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Long story," Damon shot him an amusing-yet-painful grin. "Buy the e-book," he quipped before walking out.

When he was outside, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number again, desperate for relief. He didn't care if she had a test – he was going to have her, damn it! He wanted her blood and he wanted it now, because he most likely just pissed Elena off and yet again, his brother was the reason for it. He didn't understand Elena's logic. Couldn't she see this was all for her? As always?

He held the phone up to his ear and got shell-shocked when it went straight to voicemail.

_"Hey! This is Lana, leave a message for me and my friends! Don't say anything stupid, though, I hate that on voicemails! Okay…go!" _The beep sounded and he rolled his eyes quickly before snarling a message in.

"Did I _tell _you it's okay to turn off your phone?" He growled. "Call me back _ASAP, _Lana, or I swear…" his threat came up empty. "Just call me back!" He snapped before ending the call with a slam and putting his hands in his hair. _Keep calm, Damon. Keep calm. _

With a sigh, he walked back into the house to see Jeremy gone. He quickly cleaned up the mess that he left and put the dirty, bloody dish towels into the sink. _See, _he mentally told himself as he inhaled the blood and felt no desire. _I, unlike her, can handle myself. I can stand by a Gilbert's blood and not be tempted. Hmph. Should've learned from me, newborn, _he told himself stubbornly before Stefan interrupted his own self-praise.

"Where'd Jeremy go?" Damon asked.

"School," Stefan sighed. "Bonnie has him volunteering for some cult exhibit," Stefan groaned. Damon turned around and wiped his dirty hands on a clean dish towel.

"Or," Damon suggested, "maybe he didn't want to linger around the house where his sister just jammed a knife into his neck," Damon shrugged and threw the dish rag into the sink along with the others. Stefan's phone rang. Stefan grunted.

"Mm," he groaned. "It's Klaus," he stated.

"Time to face the music, pay the piper, dance with the devil," Damon quipped.

"You know, I'm glad you find this amusing," Stefan offered. "If he finds out I told you about the cure, he'll kill both of us."

"Quit avoiding him – it's shady," Damon suggested once more. "Shady people get _outed_," he advised.

Stefan answered his phone, per Damon's request. _Finally someone listens to me. _

"I don't want to talk about it," he inhaled.

"Well, I can't imagine why, what with you ruining my plans for a hybrid-filled future," Klaus said.

"Well, it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," Stefan countered. Damon nodded in approval of his word choice.

"Well, life's full of _ifs, _Stefan," Klaus smiled. "Let's extenuate the positives, shall we? The Hunter was one of five, we'll find another. It may take centuries, but we've got nothing but time, right?"

"You're using your calm voice today," Stefan noted. "Who's getting killed," he assumed. Damon listened in intently.

"Not you, if that's what you're worried about," Klaus clarified. "I am concerned about your beloved," Damon flinched. "Have the hallucinations started yet?"

Stefan turned to Damon, alarmed. Damon shook his head, also alarmed.

"What do you know about that?" Stefan asked quietly.

"I'll tell you," Klaus said. "Where are you?"

"I'm at her house," Stefan told him.

"How convenient," Klaus smiled as he pulled up to the Gilbert family home. "So am I."

There was a large knock on the door, and Stefan turned around. Damon, concerned, looked too, as Stefan looked back at him with worry.

"Go," Damon nodded. "I'll stay here."

Stefan nodded to his brother before walking out.

Damon listened in, knowing that his brother would fill him in later, and began to put away the dishes. A few minutes later, as he was finishing up, Elena bursted downstairs at a face, but human, pace.

"Damon, I—"

She paused, and Damon looked at her, confused as he straightened up and saw a fearful look on her face. He furrowed his eyebrows and began to walk towards her, talking and talking, but she was mumbling things that sounded like a foreign language to his ears as he talked to her and she assumingly talked to someone else.

"No!" She screamed before running out. Damon held out his hand, bewildered.

"What's wrong?" He questioned as she scurried out, running towards the door. "Elena!" He called after her. "Elena?" One second she was there, and another she was gone. He didn't catch a glimpse of who took her, but he was pretty sure he knew who.

_Klaus._

His proof was standing in front of him, Stefan, who was alone on the street, afraid.

* * *

"You _lost _her?" Bonnie exclaimed. Damon played with his fingers.

"Well, _lost _is a very strong word," he argued. "We _technically _don't know where she is."

"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this Hunter's Curse," Stefan chimed in.

"How does Klaus even know about this?" Bonnie questioned.

"How does Klaus know anything? The guy's like a _billion _years old," Damon threw his hands up in the air.

"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan told her.

"You know if I could do anything to help, I would, but—" Bonnie was interrupted by an impatient Damon. _Some of us have plans, you know! _

'But nothing," he stopped her. "Wave your magic wand, hocus pocus…be gone Hunter…ghostus. Whatever."

"The spirits won't let me do the magic I need to break the curse," Bonnie explained. Damon was about to lunge at her, but he kept calm. "…But I _can _ask Shane for help. He knows everything about everything," she suggested.

Damon finally threw his hands up in achievement.

"Great," Stefan tapped his hand on the dining chair. "You two do your thing."

"Where are you going?" Damon demanded.

"I'm going to get her back," _look at Stefan. Trying to be the hero. _Damon resisted the urge to roll his eyes, snort, and smile.

* * *

Damon listened to the teacher bore on and on and on before he decided to leave after Bonnie assured him she would bring the Professor Boring along with her. He sauntered off into the hallway and quickly checked around. He found himself at a small little diner in front of the school. He instant spotted her, smelling her scent as if he'd just tasted it a second ago. He sped towards her, where he found her giggling like a little schoolgirl with her friends that he'd met at the party. He gave them all a smile.

"Good evening, ladies," Damon smiled. They all fawned over him, no different. Lana looked up at him with a large grin.

"Hi, Damon," she smiled. "What are you—?"

"Excuse us," he cut her off and pulled her away from the table, walking them over to a secluded corner on a pathway. She grouched.

"Ow!" She hissed. "Damon, you're hurting me," she gestured towards her arm, which he had grabbed violently. He released her arm and let out a sigh.

"Where were you?" He demanded. She was confused.

"Taking a test," she said. "I told you this morning—"

"You didn't tell me your phone was going to be off," he snapped at her. She shrugged.

"The professor made me turn it off. I didn't even know you called because it's in the bottom of my purse and I hadn't turned it on yet – I just got out," she explained. "What's wrong?"

"Quit asking me that," he growled. "Are you a complete _imbecile_?"

"Hey!" She shouted at him. "What's up with you, Damon? What happened?"

"You want to know what happened?" He snapped, making a hard, cold shudder run through her back. "I've been waiting all day for you and I eventually have to hunt you down? Where you're having a nice steak and cocktail with your friends?" he added. She glared at him.

"Do you expect me to have no life?" She offered. "Is that what you want me to be? Your lonely little blood whore who's at your beck and call, is not allotted even the _tiniest _information of your life not regarded the one thing you've told me about – your _brother_, who I'm not even allowed to meet – and answer my phone every _damn _time you call?" She snapped. "Is that what you want me to be?"

"It would sure be a hell of a lot nicer if you did that, sure," he agreed. She took her hand and slapped him across the face angrily.

"You're an ass," she spat. "And I'm going back to my friends."

"No, you're not," he grabbed her hand and spun her back violently so she crashed against him. She yelped out and he covered her mouth with his strong hand.

"Mm!" she bit his hand and he flinched away as he felt blood being drawn. Despite the delicious taste, she wrangled herself out of his grasp. "Damon, don't _ever _touch me again. I don't want to _see _you ever again, Damon, do _you _understand?"

"I don't think you understand _me,_" he growled. "You're not the one who gets to make the decisions, here."

"So, what?" She snapped. "Are you going to rape me? Make me be quiet so you can _do your thing _and keep doing it and make it so that I sit at your _damned _house and never see you until late at night where you sneak out, anyway?" She argued. "Damon, I'm not some play toy!"

"Don't you _get it?" _He yelled. "You are, Lana, you are! There's no doubt about it! That's what I _make _you to be – and you enjoy it!"

"I wish you _never _met me in that alley!" She sobbed. "I wish you just went back to your stupid life and never bothered me again, Damon, I hate you. And if you _do _rape me or you _do _feed off of me without even the slightest amount of remorse, I want you to remember that I hate your damn guts and I will _never _feel the same about you again, no matter how many times I look at you!" She cried. He was silent. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Damon, please," she cried. "Let me go."

"Let you go?" He asked softly. "That's what you want? No tricks?"

"No tricks," she agreed. "Let me go, Damon, please. I won't tell anyone," she admitted. "I won't."

"I believe you," he nodded. "But I can't let you go."

"Please," she begged. "Please, Damon, please. Let me go."

Something inside of him, a part that reminded him of Elena whenever he fed off of her or kissed her, made him want to apologize and beg for her forgiveness. Another part of him, the Ripper part of him (as Stefan would portray it), wanted to rip her off all her will and make her forget everything that just happened and feed off of her and do what he did last night.

But he couldn't do that.

"Go," he growled. "Go, damn it, before I change my mind!"

"Thank you," she gulped out before walking back to her friends. He looked down at the ground and kicked over a rock before jumping into his car and speeding away so fast, he thought he would break the gas pedal.

* * *

After she had gone back to her friends, she told them she was tired. Truth be told, she was. She was so tired of everything; it made her even more tired.

What happened…what _just _happened over there…she didn't want to believe it? She had been so repulsed at Damon's behavior; it made her want to run from him screaming at the mob to finish him off. But now, as she looked back on it, she realized she was making a mistake.

_No,_ she said to herself stubbornly. _Did you see what he just tried to do to you? Ruin your life? How impeccably stupid _are _you, Lana? _She scolded herself.

Slowly, she sighed and wiped her eyes of the stray tears that remained from her fear. She walked into Professor Shane's classroom to see him talking to a girl. Before he could notice her, she slid behind the wall of the entrance and listened. The girl wasn't from the college – she knew that.

_"A professor at Mystic Falls High that wants to learn about vampire hunters?" _Professor Shane inquired. _"Huh. Interesting. What did you say his name was, again?" _

_"Damon," _the girl told him. _"Damon Salvatore." _

Vampire hunters? Did they know about Damon? Were they going to hunt him?

_You can't let that happen, _she told herself as she listened in on the last bit of the girl and the professor's conversation.

_"Come on, then," _Shane urged. _"We better get to the high school." _

Lana heard a door open and close before she bolted outside, following the two people. She hopped in her car, closed the door, and sped off. She didn't need the professor to lead her way – from her one visit to Mystic Falls; she had found the high school.

She knew exactly where to go.

* * *

Damon turned on the light and glared angrily around the history room – Alaric's old history room. He sat down in Alaric's chair and pulled out a bottle of bourbon that he knew Alaric kept in his drawer. Popping it open, he stretched his legs out and put them up on the desk before tilting the bottle to the air.

"Huh," he sighed. "Missing all the adventure, pal," _you got that right. _He took a long, hard gulp to wash away the pain.

How could he be so stupid? Bring a human into this and expect to not use the maximum amount of compulsion to make her his blood bag – or blood "whore" as she called it, but he didn't like the sound of it. He didn't mean for it to get blown out of proportion – he only wanted someone he could drain the life out of and feel the happiness he felt with Elena.

He was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea.

Before he could go any further with his thoughts, Bonnie and Shane ended up at the doorway.

"Shane," Bonnie introduced. "This is my friend, Damon – he's kind of an expert on this stuff, too."

"I audited your class," Damon noted. "Very enlightening," _or boring, however you want to put it._

"That's right, I remember you," Shane nodded. "What's your specialty?"

Damon inhaled.

"The origin of a species," he said carefully. Shane smiled.

"You're into monster stuff," Shane nodded. "All right, awesome."

"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point…maybe," Damon handed Shane a folded up piece of paper that held the picture of the Hunter's mark.

"This is the Hunter's mark," Shane noticed. "Where did you get this?" He showed it to Bonnie and Damon, even though they knew what it looked like.

Damon shrugged.

"Came to me in a dream," he suggested. "Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"

Shane looked at the drawing intently.

"Why?" He asked, curious. "Do you have a dead Hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"

Damon shrugged.

"Metaphorically speaking," he admitted. Bonnie looked at Shane pleadingly and Shane sighed.

"The legend says," he spoke, "that if a hunter is killed by that which it hunts, than that _person,_" he paused, "will be forced to walk the Earth in torment until…"

"Until?" Bonnie asked.

"Until the new hunter's awakened and the legacy's passed on," Shane finished in a breath. Damon bit his lip.

_Yep. Saw that one coming._

"They're called potentials," Shane informed. Damon pulled out his phone. "Actually, I have a bunch of research on it – why don't I go grab it for you?"

"That'd be great, thanks," Damon nodded as Shane handed him back the drawing. Shane left and Bonnie and Damon watched carefully as he fled. When he was gone, Bonnie turned to Damon worriedly.

"How are we supposed to _find _a potential Hunter?" She expressed her concern.

"Yeah, _about that,_" Damon sat up straight and held the phone to his ear. "Little Gilbert," he cooed. "Your services are needed."

Bonnie looked at him incredulously as Damon explained the plan to Stefan. Once he hung up, he sighed.

"Go help your professor friend back to the college," Damon said the words with angst. "I'm going to find Elena before she kills herself."

"Hurry," Bonnie suggested as she walked out. Damon gritted his teeth as he walked to the window and looked outside for a split second before he heard the door open again and smelled something peculiar.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped, turning around to face Lana. She stood, confused.

"There were people…" she trailed off. "A girl and the professor from the college. They were looking for you," she glanced around. "Are you really a professor?" She asked.

"Does it matter?" He countered. "What are you doing here?" He asked again.

"Damon," she choked out. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he chuckled. "Ha. If I had a dime for every time some girl said that to me, I'd be sitting on top of a lot of dimes, darling," he said bitterly. She crossed her arms.

"I don't know whether to take that as an apology or a reject," she said honestly. He sighed.

"Listen," he shook his head. "I should've never gone for someone like you. Someone as _young _as you. I'm wasting your life, away, Lana, and for that I'm sorry, and you need to leave," he added. "Now."

"What if I don't want to?" She countered. "What if I told you that I don't mind?"

"Do you?" He asked. "Because I sure as hell would. Actually, I didn't, but that's a little different. I wanted to become a vampire, and frankly, I didn't really have a choice."

"What makes you think I do?" She asked. "Damon…"

"Don't do it," he stopped her. "Don't. Stop. Don't. I'm not letting you go any further with this sentence, Lana, you need to leave."

"I'm staying," she insisted. "Thirty minutes ago, you told me that I wasn't the one making the decisions. You're wrong, but I'm here. I'll let you make the decisions, Damon, just don't make me be so…so…"

"Obedient?" He offered. She shook her head.

"Strung," she finished. "I don't want to be a puppet on strings, Damon, I've always _hated _puppets."

He chuckled and walked forward, reaching out to touch her face.

"You do know," he said slowly. "I can _never _love again, right?"

"I know," she nodded, pulling his hand from her face and lacing her fingers through his. "I'm okay with it."

"You are?" He asked, surprised.

"For once," she admitted, "I don't feel strung. I don't feel like I need to give you the strings. I don't feel like I _need _to love you back for some reason that I can't explain," she explained to him. "You can't love, and neither can I."

"Someone must've screwed you up pretty bad," he chuckled. She laughed.

"Touché," she pointed out. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.

"One more thing," he said. "You need to stop asking about my friends."

"I know," she nodded. "I won't," she told him. "As long as you tell me what happened between everyone. Was that girl, the one who was with the professor; is she your friend?"

Damon snorted.

"Sort of," he admitted. "I promise – I'll tell you _most _things," he couldn't elaborate more. "But not right now."

"Okay," she agreed. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," Damon nodded. "And I'm running out of time."

"Meet at the boarding house?" She suggested. He nodded and leaned forward, kissing her again.

"I promise," he said slowly. "I'm _going _to tell you. Over dinner."

"It's, like, three in the morning," she complained. He shrugged.

"Then over breakfast," he rubbed his thumb across her cheek. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay," she nodded before he took off into the night.

* * *

**A/N: I might update another chapter tonight, but don't get your hopes up. I might go to bed soon…**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I'll update tomorrow…maybe…most likely. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_X_**

**_KS1918_**


	6. VI

**A/N: Okay. After this chapter, I can't update until next week, after Thursday! So you'll just have to wait a week (but I'm going to tell you right now, it's not happening Thursday! It'll happen most likely on Friday). **

**Anyway, enjoy! I'll upload some of my other stories until then!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything about TVD, but I do own Lana and the plotline. **

* * *

**VI**

With a long, hard sigh, Damon grudged himself up the stairs, his shoes soaking wet along with his clothes. They had dried mostly, but he felt chills from the temperature that was hitting his back. He opened the door to his room to find Lana, looking through his book collection.

"Hi," she turned to him, shutting the book closed. He shot her a small smile.

"Hi," he let out a large, exasperated breath. She raised her eyebrow.

"You're wet," she stated. He chuckled and closed the door, nodding.

"I am," he sighed.

"What happened?"

He opened his mouth to tell her he wasn't going to say, but seeing the look on her face that told him not to say it made him backtrack. He sighed.

"A…" he trailed off, "_friend _of mine just tried to kill herself. I saved her and all is right in the world, once again," he clarified, throwing his leather jacket on the bed. "Well, not everything. I mean, really. My jacket's ruined," he complained. She put the book back on the shelf and hooked her thumbs in her pockets, shrugging.

"A friend?" She questioned. "Tried to kill _her_self?"

He smiled and looked down.

"I was hoping you wouldn't catch that," he pointed out. She inhaled sharply.

"Well, what can I say?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm starting to learn."

"Mm," he mumbled. He couldn't tell her not to worry…considering the way he felt about Elena. No matter how hard he tried to deny it. Nevertheless, the words came out of his mouth. "Don't worry—"

"It's not like that?" She finished for him, walking over and bowing her head shamefully. "Yeah, Damon. I get it. You say it now but…"

"Things are more complicated than it seems," he assured.

"Isn't it always that way?" She moved her head to the side. "Listen, I understand. It's not like we're…"

"Together?" He finished for her this time. He exhaled deeply. "Yeah. I guess not," he looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Would it be such a bad thing?"

She bit down on her lip and redirected the subject.

"Well I met you here," she stated. "Like you asked me to."

"Thank you," he said. "I guess I owe you dinner?"

"Breakfast," she retorted. "But I'll take a rain check." He said nothing, so she bobbed her head. "I think I'll head out now."

She brushed past him, muttering a goodbye, before he caught her hand and swung her around so he could put one hand behind her and put his other hand in hers. "Don't go," he suggested, leaning in and brushing his lips against hers. "Not yet."

"Damon," she breathed. "You seem like you have a lot of important things going on…"

"I can deal with them later," he insisted. "My friend won't be awake for another couple hours – she's had her day of fun," the joke was funny, but Lana didn't laugh – she didn't know better. "Stay," he convinced her. "Please?"

"You won't make me?" She asked, surprised.

"No," he shook his head. "I'll never _make _you stay with me."

"You promise?" She whispered. He nodded.

"I promise," he said softly. "You're not a puppet, Lana. As long as you are decent enough with me, I'll never _make _you stay here if you honestly don't want to. I'd understand."

"Understand?" She questioned.

"I'm a vampire," he shrugged. "We're not the best company."

"On the contrary," she breathed out. "You're fine company, Mr. Salvatore, if you weren't so secretive."

"Hey, I promised," he pointed out. "I'll tell you everything you want to know – within limit. Over breakfast," he leaned forward and kissed her, deepening the kiss as he moved closer. "Later," he mumbled.

"Later," she agreed before releasing her hands from his and wrapping her arms around his neck. He locked his hands on her back and pulled her closer before she pulled away, shivering. "You're c-cold," she stuttered. He brushed his thumb against her neck.

"Come on," he unlocked his arms and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the bathroom. "I'll make you warm," he promised. She looked down and blushed before he felt the sudden urge to surge forward and grasp her hair, sweeping it to the side in one motion. He kissed her once more as they moved backwards, trailing tiny nips of his fangs down her neck. He reached her shoulder and she shivered as he moved his fangs back and forth, finally stopping at the side of her neck and slowly and gently sinking his fangs into her flesh. She grunted and he drank, holding her by the hips. She breathed out his name faintly, and he realized. He pulled away for a split second to bite the inside of his palm before thrusting it in her mouth and resuming his earlier position. He felt it as she sucked on his wrist, taking in the rich amount of blood that was given to her. She pulled away and pushed him back for a tiny second.

"Hold on," she paused. He groaned.

"What?" He asked impatient as he trailed his fingers down her body to slowly unbutton her shirt. She closed her eyes and spoke.

"Are you really," she reached out to unbutton his shirt, "a professor?"

He chuckled.

"No," he shook his head as he pushed her shirt down her body. "Unless you want me to be," he offered. She shook her head.

"I never like my professors," she admitted faintly as he smiled and kissed her again, not wasting time trying to unbutton his soggy shirt.

* * *

"Damon?" Stefan knocked on Damon's door as he let the water cascade down his skin, washing them both. Damon broke the kiss and held a finger to his lips. She nodded obediently before he rolled his eyes amusingly and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He shook out his hair and walked into his bedroom.

"Yes, _annoyingly _over-bearing brother?" Damon smirked. Stefan entered the room and raised his eyebrow.

"You were showering?" Stefan asked. Damon nodded.

"Not anymore," he admitted. "But what can I do you for?"

"Nothing," Stefan shrugged. "I just wanted to tell you that Elena's going to wake up soon. She's been tossing back and forth," Stefan informed. Damon shrugged.

"Okay...is there a reason you wanted to tell me this?" Damon asked, confused. Stefan sighed and put his hands in his pockets, stepping forward.

"Damon, she needs you," Stefan admitted. "This thing with Klaus…it's tearing me and Elena apart," _no shit, Sherlock. _"As much as I love her, I can't tell her. I can't be the one to tell her and rip away her only hope if she finds out it's not true," Stefan sighed. "And she hates me for lying to her."

"I wonder how you realized that," Damon gritted his teeth.

"Damon, I'm being serious," Stefan said firmly. "She needs _your _help, Damon. You know I wouldn't come to you, of all people, otherwise," Stefan pleaded. "Help her get through it. Help her. I don't care if she doesn't trust me, Damon; I just need to make sure she's okay. And you're my best bet. Like I said," he added. "She'll listen to you."

Damon was silent. He bit his lip and sighed.

"Give me five minutes," he grumbled. "I'd like to be dressed, thank you."

"Sure," Stefan nodded. "I'll be outside her house when you talk to her."

"Are you going to listen?" Damon added sourly. Stefan smiled.

"Is there something you don't want me to listen to?"

"Nothing particular, Stefan," Damon shot him a smirk before Stefan gestured towards the bathroom.

"Don't leave the water running," Stefan warned, walking out. Damon heard the shower stop and Lana come out of the bathroom dressed in a towel.

"Is everything okay?" She asked. He nodded.

"Um, yeah," Damon sighed and reached out to stroke her wound on her neck. Instantly, he compelled her. "Put a bandage on it? You can stay here until I get back," he stopped the compulsion. "I'll cook you breakfast when I return."

"Okay," she agreed. "Where are your bandages?" She asked. He directed her towards them and added, "Oh, and if you want to go buy yourself something, go ahead," he offered. "You deserve it after our…fight, I guess. Isn't that what you're supposed to do after a fight? Buy something…?"

"Okay, seriously?" She scoffed. "Now I'm starting to feel like a prostitute," she complained. He chuckled.

"Would you rather me buy something _for _you?" He asked. She thought.

"I'd rather you not buy me something at all," she poked at his chest. "You've got a lot to learn about a friends-with-benefits relationship, Damon," she smiled. He laughed.

"Darling, I _invented _friends-with-benefits," he smiled. When she raised her eyebrow and asked if that was legitimate, he sighed. "No – but I did know the guy who _did_."

She laughed and he pulled her close to kiss her.

"I'll be back," he assured her. "Stefan's going to be out with me – no one should stop by."

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll see you later. I might go back to the dorm…"

"Don't do that," he compelled her. "Stay here – within the town limits."

"Or I might not," she redirected her approach. "I think I'll just stay in the town. It's lovely, by the way."

"Mm," Damon nodded. "Now go get changed."

"Into my clothes from last night?" She sighed. He shook his head.

"You left your peasant-looking clothes here before, remember?" He sighed. "We'll need to go out and buy you a _whole _new wardrobe, Lana. Yours is disgusting."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" She raised her eyebrow. "Like you're gay or something."

"I've proven to you _more _than enough times that I'm _most definitely _not gay," he pointed out. She smiled as blood rose to her cheeks.

"True," she admitted. "Now go get changed. Didn't your brother say you had to be there in five minutes?"

"I'm always late, and she's always slow," Damon sighed before Lana skipped off and he dressed and fled to Elena's house.

* * *

He watched as she slowly roused, groggy and sleepily. She stared at her ring and he smiled slightly.

"Fished it out of the river for you," he scared her. "Little tip – vampires _hate _to swim," he said grouchily. She said nothing and brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. "How are you feeling?" He added.

She shook her head. "My head's clear," she stated. He turned towards her, intrigued. "I can remember everything – but not like I lived it…like it was a really _bad _dream."

_Huh, _he said to himself. _Makes two of us. _

He gave her a slight smile, but didn't want to talk about it.

"You saved me," she breathed out. He could feel the heat radiating off of her body. _Elena… _"Thank you," she added.

"Well," _finally you realize it, my darling, _"you know what they say about teenage suicide," he moved over to her bed as he – once more – tried to cover his emotions up with an amusing comment, "don't do it," he shook his finger at her tauntingly. He could see her emotions riding up and down. He sat down on the bed.

"I just can't believe that I almost—"

He interrupted her.

"Don't blame yourself," he shook his head.

In a very, very surprising moment, he suddenly realized her hand was on top of his and she was speaking.

_Elena, no. Elena, no. Elena, no. _

_Why now? Why today? Why did she make things so _hard_? _He wanted so badly for her to give up – for her to live her fantasy with Stefan and leave him alone.

But another part of him, the bigger, more selfish part that didn't think about his newfound interest or his heart, wanted her so badly; he was willing to defy his own brother for the love of this one, lovely, stunning, amazingly glorious vampire.

"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you," she started. She clasped his hand tightly and he felt a hole inside of him ache so bad, he wanted to jump out that window right now. It made him hurt like he was on fire – bursting into a million pieces of flames. Memories flooded back…her kissing him, him kissing her, all of the moments they've had together.

_Elena…_

His heart ached for her deeply.

He sighed and exhaled as if it was the hardest thing to do in two centuries.

"I'm about to take a very," he paused to catch his breath, "high…_annoying _road," he added. She looked confused as he pulled his hand from hers, but left his fingers grazing her fingertips, "and tell you something." He could see the look in her eyes. "Because I know that you think Stefan's been lying to you," _and that's the reason you want me now, isn't it? _"Which…_yeah_. He has," he added, seeing her tense up. This," he searched for the right term, "_rough patch _you two have been going through…is not what you think." Another look of bewilderedness crossed her face. "Everything he's been doing, he's been doing for you. To help you."

He saw her tilt her head, now even more confused than before.

"And after he kills me for telling you this," he continued, "I want you to throw my ashes off of Wickery Bridge, okay?" She laughed slightly. "There may be a way out of this for you, Elena," he watched as the realization sunk in. To clarify even more, he added, "There may be a cure."

* * *

When he got outside, Stefan appeared at her porch, looking as his old brooding self. Damon rolled his eyes.

"I did what I thought was right," Damon growled, not in the mood for the lecture. "She deserved to know."

"What _you _thought was right?" Stefan nodded. "I see. So if she gets killed by Klaus – I'll make sure to blame you?"

"Klaus won't lay a pretty little finger on her," Damon shrugged. "She's his golden ticket to a hybrid infestation. She's like the exterminator spray…just backwards."

Stefan chuckled and lowered his head.

"Damon, I hope you were right to tell her," Stefan shrugged. "But it wasn't really my call."

"You're right," Damon stepped down from the porch, bouncing up and down. Before he could leave, Stefan stopped him.

"Why'd you do it?" Stefan asked, curious. Damon turned around.

"What do you mean?" Damon asked.

"Why'd you tell her?" Stefan said boldly. "Why'd you tell her I was doing this all for her?"

Damon sighed.

"As pathetic as it might seem, Stefan," Damon sighed and shrugged lightly. "She's never going to…" He trailed off, unable to say it. "She's confused," Damon mumbled. "And she won't be able to have a clear hand until the cards area all dealt on the table," he analyzed. "I figured it would be better that way."

"You ruined your chance," Stefan noted. Damon shook his head.

"Nah, Stefan," Damon sighed. "I never really had one, did I?"

"You did," Stefan nodded. "And you just ruined it – right inside that house," Stefan looked back.

Damon bit his lip and nodded slowly.

"Maybe, brother," Damon nodded. "Maybe."

"Is there some ulterior motive behind this?" Stefan asked, precautious. Damon sighed.

"As hard as it is to believe," Damon started. "I care about you," Damon smiled. "Bros before hoes, right?" Damon chuckled. "Well, you know what I mean – I guess it didn't really work that way. Pals before gals? Does that work, better?"

"Nice try, Damon," Stefan nodded. "Thank you."

Damon said nothing but walk away slowly. Stefan watched him, and Damon felt an odd sense of mixed feelings course through him. It wasn't fair to him, he knew it, and he knew he most likely just blew up the one and only chance he had with his beloved.

_Oh well, _Damon sighed. _We'll just have to see who she chooses, then?_

_And who I'll choose, _Damon added in his mind. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked around. He really _did _have to choose, sometime, didn't he?

_She said she was okay with it, _Damon reminded himself. _She said she can never love anyone else, either. She said that, right? _

_She said it, _Damon convinced himself. But he wasn't really sure she meant it.

* * *

Damon slammed the door shut and sped upstairs to his bedroom, where he saw Lana sitting on his bed, reading _Macbeth _in one of the spare silk robes he kept in his closet. She looked up and smiled.

"I didn't expect you back so soon," she stated, glancing at the page number and putting her book down. "I hope you don't mind I borrowed—"

He stopped her from saying anything else as he fled over to her and kissed her as if it was going to be their last and final kiss. When he pulled away, she raised an eyebrow.

"What's that for?" She asked, smiling.

"Elena," he choked out, didn't realizing the words had come out until he felt them come up as if it was applesauce. "Her name's Elena."

"Elena…?" Lana trailed off. "What about this Elena?"

"I love her," Damon blurted out, but then lowered his eyes and rubbed his temples as he saw the alarmed look on her face. "Well, _love _is a strong word, I guess—"

"But it's true," she nodded. He looked at her, confused.

"I guess," he sighed. "But she'll never love me the way I love her."

"Why not?" Lana asked.

"Because she's in love with my brother," Damon stated. Lana let out a long whistle.

"Wow," she said, surprised. "That's got to be tough."

"It is," Damon said as she got up from the bed and put _Macbeth _back on the shelf. "Why are you not…getting upset or something?"

She laughed, and it sounded genuine.

"Should I be?" She asked with a smile on her face. He was silent.

"I-I don't know," he admitted. "Isn't that the human thing…being jealous or whatever?"

"Damon," she laughed, hiding her smile behind her head. "I'm not _jealous_."

"Why not?" Damon demanded. She shrugged.

"Didn't we establish last night – or this morning, perhaps – that I can't love you?" She asked. "That you can't love me?"

"Well, I…" He trailed off.

"You, _what_?" She asked wearily.

"I thought it would at least spark _some _concern," he admitted. She smiled. "Is it because you think I can't get her or something?"

"No, Damon, I think you're quite capable of that," she nodded.

"Then what is it?"

"Damon," she sighed, "I'm not one to judge," she admitted. "If you love her and she ends up running and choosing you one day, and I assume that I get the boot, I'll be fine with it," she shrugged. "You've _got _to give me more credit," she commanded. He was entirely and utterly confused.

"You're really okay with me just…" he trailed off. "Feeding off of you and having a secret affair with you on my terms…even if one day I could dump you on the street with no harm, no foul?" He asked, bewildered. She nodded.

"Well, I wouldn't call it _your terms _and dumping me off on the street," she admitted. "What happens happens."

"Seriously?" he asked, still confused. He hadn't used any compulsion on her at all. Was she just _built _that way?

"Seriously," she nodded and stepped closer, tugging on the ends of his shirt. "Now, if you let me meet her, I bet I could have a _lot _of fun with her behind the books," Lana smiled. "You say _I'm _jealous, I say she'll be _more _than jealous," Lana giggled. Damon raised his eyebrows.

"I've tried that before," he admitted. "Doesn't work."

"So…let me guess," Lana pushed him down onto the bed and climbed on top of him. "You go to a party, she pisses you off, you find me, and I'm your perfect excuse?" She leaned down so her hair curtained them both. He shrugged and cocked his head.

"Yeah," he breathed out. "I guess that's the gist of it."

"How come you didn't tell me before?" She asked, smiling. "I could've made it worth your while."

* * *

**A/N: Yeah…and then he goes to Matt after she leaves. Sorry, I just didn't feel like putting all that extra weight into it!**

**REMEMBER: THERE WILL BE NO UPDATES UNTIL AFTER THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29! Sorry, but it's just that way…**

**_Feedback is always appreciated; I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_X_**

**_KS1918_**


	7. VII

**A/N: WARNING! SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER (Well, really, in every chapter, but I mean, for y'all who didn't get the episode yet, if there are any who haven't, SPOILERS)!**

** I. AM. SO. MAD. Did you see the episode? Well, more specifically, the END of the episode? Don't get me wrong, I'm SOOO not for Stefan and Elena, but I'm not for Damon and Elena, either. I'm team Elena-Go-Fall-Off-A-Cliff. At least Damon wasn't infected with Elena before…now he ruined it! UGH! **

**Nevertheless, I must put this in my story…. *GRIMACE***

**Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries (If I did, Damon and Elena would not have slept together in that last episode)**

* * *

**VII**

The sun rose above the window, shining over Damon's bare chest that wasn't covered by the white sheet. It was wrapped around his waist, as was Lana, who was laughing alongside him. Her arms were crossed and her chin laid on them. She looked at Damon and smiled.

"So you really love her?" Lana asked quietly. Damon shrugged.

"I know for sure that I did," he said. She gave a confused look.

"But I thought you said you could never love again," she stated. He paused, and she realized. "She's the reason you can never love again – because you'll be in love with her forever?"

"Pretty much," he admitted and reached out to touch her hair softly. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How'd you get to be that way?" He asked, intrigued.

"Oh, no," she shook her head. "No way."

He chuckled.

"What?"

"You're not getting that out of me," she warned him. He gave her a fierce look.

"You've got to be kidding me," he smirked. "I show you mine, but you won't show me yours?"

"I've done much more than show you," color rushed to her cheeks, even though she was the one who thought it. He laughed softly.

"I meant your memories."

"Are you Edward Cullen or something?"

He grimaced.

"Don't insult me," he ordered. She laughed and he moved closer to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her so close, she was against his body.

"Mm," she smiled. "This is nice," she admitted.

"Yeah," he smiled back. "I wish I could stay here."

"You can't?"

"I have things to do," Damon laughed. "But I have a proposition for you."

"Shoot," she smirked. He leaned down and hesitated, his mouth slightly open but no words escaping. Quickly and without warning, he ducked down to press his lips to hers gently. Both of them tried to make it soft and innocent, but it only got them into more trouble. Like a wildfire, it spread everywhere. His lips trailed down to her neck wound where he licked the last bit of semi-dry blood off of her neck that he had bitten before. His fangs traced down the hollow base of her throat and moved over her skin.

"Damon," she groaned. "Damon, it's light out."

"Yes, it is," he murmured against her skin. She shook him off carefully.

"What's your proposition?" She asked. He hesitated again, and she shot him a glare. "You can ask me anything, Damon, as long as it's not to pick out a ring. I don't do marriage," she warned. He smiled.

"That's not coming out of me anytime soon," he agreed. "Well, there's a party today…a Miss Mystic Falls pageant," he clarified.

"Good. You'll have fun. Will Elena be there?"

"Yes," Damon waved it off. That's not what he was going to ask her. "But I wanted to know if you wanted to go."

"If I wanted to go…?" She trailed off. "With you?"

He shook his head.

"You know I can't do that," he said, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face that fell into her eyes. "But you can go – and we'll talk in private."

"Is this some ruse to by me a dress?" She asked warily. He cocked his head.

"Huh. I didn't think of that," he smiled. She sighed.

"Seriously?" She asked him. "You want me to go to a prep-girl party?"

"A prep-girl party?" he chuckled to himself. That was hilarious, the way she said it. He twirled a strand of her hair around his fingertips.

"I don't want to be around selfish primadonnas all day," she whined. "It's not fair."

"You won't do it for me?" He pleaded, partially using compulsion. She sighed into his arms.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "If I have to."

"You don't have to come alone," he said. "You can bring a friend. I don't mind."

"Well thank you for the courtesy, Mr. Salvatore," she smiled. "What do you expect me to tell everyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, when we talk. I can't go up and say 'hi, my name is Lana and I'm Damon's blood whore'," she announced sourly. "Am I your friend…you're colleague…you're—"

"My nothing," he said. "You're not to talk to me unless I approach you first, understood?" He warned, now using all compulsion. She nodded in oblige.

"Sure," she said. "What do I wear?"

"Formal wear," he said. "Well, kind of. I think you'd look pretty in a floor-length, but you can do a short dress…"

"Mm," she nodded. "I think I can do that."

"How about that dress?" He smiled. "Shall I take you shopping?"

"I think I can fend for myself, thank you," she insisted. "Don't you have to go check on Elena again?"

"Yeah, I guess," he shrugged. "You want me to drive you back?"

"I have my car," she said. "I'll be fine."

"Okay," he agreed and laced his fingers through hers. "Want to go shower, first?"

* * *

Damon emerged out from the hallway, hearing the heavy footsteps of his brother. After sending Lana back without Stefan realizing she'd been here (a success on his part), he was tired. Tired of everything else around him but her.

"Where have you been?" Damon questioned amusingly.

"Oh, you know," Stefan said bitterly. "Out." _What's wrong, little bro? _

"Where are you going?" Damon asked.

"Out," Stefan said simply, turning for the door that blocked the emerging sunshine. Damon was confused.

"Okay…I see Shady Stefan's back," Damon quipped. Stefan turned around, annoyed, as he walked back to his brother. "Please don't tell me that you're still working with Klaus," Damon pleaded hopefully. Stefan hung his head.

"You obviously haven't heard," Stefan seemed happy yet gloomy to say this, "Elena and I broke up."

The words, like a ten-thousand ton truck, smacked him across the face as if he was a punching bag.

_WHAT? _

He answered simply, "Oh."

He didn't want to make a big deal about it in front of Stefan. I mean, inside, Damon was gallivanting like a high-school boy who just came home from having sex the first time. But it had a much deeper meaning than that.

In the back of his mind, that little tiny devil announced, _it's not for you, you idiot. She probably just got tired of him. Doesn't mean she'll come running to you. _

He frowned, but he couldn't help thinking of the possibilities.

Stefan nodded cautiously, as if waiting for Damon to shove it in his face like the "mean brother" he was.

Instead, Damon lowered his eyes.

"God…well..." Damon scrounged around for an excuse to say something non-Elena. "I'll be quick then," he was stalling. Stefan could see it. Stefan's eyebrows arched as Damon continued. "So, apparently, if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the _map _on the Hunter's mark," he was _definitely _stalling. "Unless we want Jeremy to go all Conner 2.0," he inhaled sharply. "I suggest we find a different hunter."

"Okay," Damon was so afraid Stefan could see the happiness that glinted in his eyes. "And?"

Definitely saw it.

Nevertheless, he continued.

"And I was going to ask Professor Shane," Damon turned the situation lighter. "But, turns out, he's shadier than you are."

Stefan smiled lightly.

"Matt Donovan connected him and the pastor through phone records," he paused. "Apparently, the two were very _chatty _the day the pastor blew up the Council."

Stefan nodded in understanding.

"So you're going to confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him? That sort of thing?"

Damon shrugged amusingly.

"Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to," Damon punched Stefan's arm lightly. "What do you say? Should we tag-team this?" Brother-bonding. Always good for post-break up? Right? Especially if Damon wasn't the one who caused it…

"Nah," Stefan turned it down so obviously hatefully. "I'd say you're on your own."

Damon held him back from leaving.

"Or we could just blow it off, man," he suggested. "Go get drunk, brother-bond? If you, you know, want some quality time."

_So much for being subtle, Damon_, he scolded himself.

Stefan laughed slightly and looked down at the floor. Damon could see a trace of anger in him.

"Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life," Stefan suggested amusingly, yet painfully. Damon's heart beat faster and faster, hoping and praying he wasn't the reason they broke up. Sure, he wanted the girl, but he would never let a girl stand in the way of his brother's relationship with him. He learned his lesson before. Never again. He refused it.

Although, if Stefan were to accept that the girl chose him, it wouldn't matter, would it?

Stefan, snapping him out of his reverie, patted him twice on the shoulder before walking out, and this time, Damon let him.

* * *

"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Lana?"

Lana looked beside her in the department store, looking at her best friend, Hannah, who she'd chosen to come on the hunt for her dress tonight, confused.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Lana asked, searching the racks. Hannah blinked at her.

"Are you _kidding _me, Lana?" she squeaked. "We're in the middle of one of the richest department stores in Virginia, and you're asking me this question? I feel like I'm in the middle of _Pretty Woman_!"

"I'm not a prostitute!" Lana defended a little too loudly. Hanna shrugged.

"You're looking at a two-thousand dollar dress." Instantly, as if it was on fire, the silk in Lana's hand dropped. Lana let out a long sigh.

"Damon just wants me to be happy," Lana shrugged and began searching the racks again. "What's wrong with a little dress to make me happy?"

"Everything!" Hannah yelled quietly. "Lana, you're out buying a two-thousand dollar dress! This is utterly ridiculous!"

"So he's _rich_?" Lana shrugged. "It's not like he's the Godfather. He told me to buy a dress, so I'm buying one."

"And going to a pageant where you're not allowed to talk to anyone?"

"That's not fair," Lana pouted. "You liked him when I brought him to the party. Why don't you like him now? And just because I can't _tell _anyone about the whole 'girlfriend' thing doesn't mean I can't talk to them."

"He made that clear?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure he implied it," Lana shrugged. "Lay off, Han. I've got this."

"I'm worried about you," Hannah said softly. "He's older…he seems like he hurts people…"

"Butt out, Han," Lana snapped. "You don't know anything!"

"I don't want to see you get hurt again." Hannah was very firm in her sentence. "I saw you after Peter. I don't want that to happen again."

"It won't," Lana assured her, now softer and less loud. "We…have an agreement."

"That's not shady at all!"

"What do you want me to do?" Lana exhaled, frustrated. "I like him. We have a lot of fun together."

"Be careful."

"If that's all, then you wasted ten minutes of my life."

"I don't want you to limit yourself to one guy," Hannah clarified. "I don't think you should just go at this man's beck and call. Show him what you can do. Don't make him wait. _Show _him that you can survive without him."

Lana, holding the cream beige dress in her hand and walking up to the register, avoiding Hannah's comment as she handed the cashier the gold credit card that Damon had given her, bit her lip. Hannah was, as always, right.

"What do you suppose I do?" Lana growled. "Go off and whore around with everyone?"

"No," Hannah sighed as the cashier handed Lana back the gold card and put the dress in a hanging bag. "I think you should go to the pageant with someone. Show him you don't wait at his command."

"With _who_?" Lana chuckled. "My imaginary boyfriend? Damon's my _boyfriend_, Hannah. More or less."

"You don't have to be _interested _in the guy," Hannah smiled. "How would you like to go with Jackson?"

* * *

"Did you get a dress?" Damon asked, landing on his bed with a thud. Lana nodded and held the phone between her shoulder and her ear. They had agreed to meet up at the party.

"Yes," she said. "It's very pretty. I think you'll approve."

"The dress will come off at some point," he smiled. "That I'll approve of."

"I wonder if something else besides sex goes through your mind," she exhaled, laughing. He smiled.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "But after all, sex is what we do," he shrugged.

"That doesn't make me feel like Julia Roberts at all," Lana mumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Damon chuckled. She shook her head and gripped the phone with her hand again.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head vigorously. _Idiot_. "Nothing, Damon. Listen, I've got to get ready…"

"Me, too," he said. "I'll see you later."

"Bye."

They hung up, and Lana let out a long sigh of air. She was tired of this. Soon, she realized Hannah was so right, it hurt. Hannah sat on Lana's bed, holding up the pale-colored shoes that Lana bought to match her dress.

"Pretty," Hannah approved. Lana confirmed her suspicions of Hannah not paying the slightest attention to what _Lana _was picking out, but paying attention to the shoes that had spikes on their heel. "He's going to be jealous."

"That wasn't the point," Lana pointed out. Hannah rolled her eyes.

"It's good to be jealous once in a while," Hannah informed. "Spikes the mood."

"I'm sure," Lana laughed. _If she only knew…._

"So what about taking Jackson?"

"I called him, didn't I?" Lana hissed through her teeth. It didn't mean she wasn't going to spend time with Damon. Maybe in one of the bedrooms of the very big Lockwood Mansion he told her about…

"I didn't think you would," Hannah admitted. Lana laughed.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Lana sighed. "You were right. But this doesn't mean anything. Don't go get any new ideas about my love life."

"Wish granted," Hannah promised. "I just need you to be active. Don't jump in the river for one guy, Lana. You do it all the time. You did it…"

"Stop," Lana said firmly. "I don't want to talk about it," she hissed. Hannah opened her mouth, but she cut her off. Lana's eyes flashed red. "Don't do it, Han. I will kill you in an instant."

"Nice," Hannah rolled her eyes.

"Now let me change," Lana insisted.

* * *

Damon was impatient, but he learned to control it. He was pacing back and forth in front of the Lockwood Mansion, constantly checking his phone for reminders of her presence. Every time he asked her, she said she was close. What if it wasn't her? What if—

His thoughts were interrupted when he soon realized that a breathtakingly beautiful girl was sauntering towards him in a pale lace dress that came up to her knees. A black bow wrapped around her torso effortlessly, clinging to the lace and fabric that also clung to her skin. It was strapless, her cascading dark hair running down her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. He felt like he wanted to run his hands through the delicate curls that spiraled down her shoulders. It was sucking the self-control out of him, to look at her and not ravish her right there, especially considering the conversation he'd had with Stefan this morning.

As she walked closer to him, she didn't say anything. Damon, realizing he _had _compelled her not to talk to him unless instructed, walked up to her and held out his hand.

"You look beautiful," he said slowly. She smiled and took the hand he held out for her. He was sure no one saw him.

"Thank you," she said, but she didn't look convinced.

"I'm serious," he insisted. He saw her deep blood red dressed lips turn down in disbelief.

"You exaggerate," she whispered, but saw her lips turn up in a smile. She couldn't resist him – he knew that. He could hear the ragged beating of her heart – and it only increased as she looked at him. He smiled smugly.

"I'm taking the dress was expensive? Lie to me, if you must," he instructed.

"It was," she said. He raised his eyebrow. "I'm serious. It was two thousand," she admitted sheepishly. He let out a small whistle, but reached out to brush his hand across her face.

"I'm glad," he said. "It looks….ravishing on you, Lana."

"Thank you," she said. He could see color rising to her cheeks.

"Lana!"

Lana turned her head, looking backwards. Instantly, she dropped Damon's hand, and he felt a sudden pang of emptiness as he stared at it. Lana walked to the boy who skipped over to them. He was a bronze-haired boy wearing a tie similar to Damon's, and, although Damon wouldn't admit it, he knew that the boy had looked better in his. Damon cleared his throat as the boy put his arm through Lana's and they walked up to Damon.

"Damon," she introduced. "This is Jackson. Jackson, this is Damon."

"Oh," the boy smiled a charming boyish smile. "Pleasure," Jackson held out his hand, but Damon didn't take it. His eyes flashed to Lana's.

"A boy?" Damon questioned. "You brought a boy to this pageant?"

"Don't, Damon," she whispered. "Don't make a big deal—"

"You know," Damon cut her off, waving his hand and laughing as if he was hallucinating or as if he'd known this was going to happen. "I've got someone more _important _to tend to; I'll see you around."

"Damon—" But it was too late. He had fled upstairs to his "someone more important", leaving Lana sighing.

"This is what I was afraid of happening," she murmured to her date. Jackson shrugged.

"He'll get over it," Jackson poked her in the ribs, but it made her ache. "Come on, Lana, let's go inside. I know you love to dance," he said the phrase teasingly.

"Yeah," she scoffed. She hated dancing – he knew that.

"Come on," Jackson groaned. "Don't let this guy get to your head – that's why you brought me, right?"

"I don't know _why _I brought you," she mumbled.

"Well I'm here, now," he insisted. "Come on."

"Fine," she groaned as he pulled her forward and she laughed slightly, but still felt the presence of Damon's anger beside her. She was going to experience the wrath of it soon enough….she was sure of it.

* * *

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry it took two weeks for me to get this out! I'm going to try and upload the chapters that lead up to the end of the last episode – and then after next week's update, I'm going on a break for the Midseason finale!**

**I'm going to try really hard to get this done tonight or tomorrow night! Cross your fingers!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts. _**

**_X_**

**_KS1918_**

**PS: Lana's dress outfit is on POLYVORE and I also tell everyone when I'm updating on TWITTER. Username information is on my profile page :)**


	8. VIII

**A/N: Is it possible to be as sorry as I am right now? **

**I'm so sorry! It's been so long…**

**I have to catch up, but I'm trying. I can't find the time! I promise I'll try harder!**

**Enjoy this long-awaited chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I only own my writing, plotline, and characters that I create. **

* * *

**VIII**

He was so frustrated. It took him everything not to shake in his own shoes as he slipped by some of the people guarding the staircase to the contestants' dressing rooms. His fist clenched and unclenched as he tried to calm himself down. But nothing was working. Anger _raged _inside of him, bubbling out into the surface. It was almost as big as when Elena pissed him off.

He turned a corridor and followed his hearing.

"Blue," Caroline and Elena chose in unison.

"Really?" April objected. "The blue seems a little safe."

"Safe is _good," _Elena paused, "when it comes to the judges."

"She's right." Damon drowned out Caroline's irrelevant story. He appeared at the doorway and nearly got knocked over by his own vision. Elena was a vision before him, and it took everything for him not to say something. It's been doing that a lot lately.

"She got my vote," Damon quipped.

Elena stiffened while Caroline threw something at him. Clearly, he wasn't welcome.

"Get out, lurker!"

"Ouch." He feigned hurt. "Where's Professor Shane?"

"Check the judges' table," Caroline informed. She began to slam the door on him, but he pushed it back open. He could see Elena's discomfort. He wondered…

"Red one," he decided. "Definitely."

April looked surprised.

"We've already agreed the red one's a little bit too showy," Caroline said in triumph. Elena's eyes drifted to the dresses.

"It's a pageant," Damon argued, "that's the whole _point_."

Caroline drew in a deep breath. Damon sensed her negativity towards him and he got angry. Everyone was pissing him off today.

"Did you _win _Miss Mystic last year?" she offered. "I don't think you did."

"Neither did Elena." He felt almost nostalgic bringing it up. _The dance_… "And she wore blue."

Elena tensed. Was she remembering?

Caroline sighed.

"Nobody cares what you think?"

"I care," April said.

"See," Damon pointed out. "April cares. Red, right Elena?" The words flowed out of his mouth in agony. Elena took in a large breath. He expected her to disagree with him, but he couldn't care less. It was over a damn dress. He just wanted to see her.

"The red _is _pretty," Elena agreed. It almost took Damon aback. Elena…_is agreeing?_

Damon smiled.

"And my work here is done." He felt oddly happy now, seeing Caroline's distraught face.

He turned to leave, but as he was walking down the stairs, he heard footsteps.

_Don't let it be Elena, don't let it be Elena, _he pleaded softly. He couldn't handle any more of this.

"Damon?"

_Shit, _he thought as he turned around reluctantly. _Elena_.

"Still here," he informed. She drew in a larger breath now. She was nervous, he could tell.

"We need to talk," she said after a while. He nodded.

"Stefan told me about the breakup." _Was it about me? _He wanted to ask it so badly.

She descended down the stairs and the image of her coming down the stairs a year ago floated into his mind. He shook it off.

"I'd say I'm sorry," he said, "but I'm not."

"What did he say?" she asked; her voice quiet.

"Oh, you know Stefan. Guy just went on and on about it; wouldn't _shut up_." He was lying. He knew that.

"So he _didn't _tell you why?" Elena asked.

_Shit, _Damon thought, _Do I _want _to know this? _

"Nope." He tried to be calm about it. "But I'm pretty sure it has something to do with you acting weird, so why don't you tell me?" _I want to know, _he decided.

"You."

* * *

"Welcome to this season's Miss Mystic Falls!"

The crowd clapped and suddenly, Damon lost his opportunity. Shane brushed past him and left Damon in the dust, with nothing to divert his attention from Lana in the crowd with that idiot boy. He couldn't help but stare at them. They were standing side by side and his hand was on her waist. He felt like ripping the boy's heart out and eating it for lunch at this point.

Nevertheless, to be rational, he avoided this temptation and just focused his attention on Mayor Lockwood.

"We are so excited to showcase our most _outstanding _leaders in the making!" Carol exclaimed.

"I'll be right back. Restroom."

Damon's voice picked up on Lana's. His eyes directed towards her, where her _date _nodded and she stumbled inside, still looking as beautiful as when she arrived. He dropped his champagne glass on a random table and followed her, unable to resist. It was like his legs were moving themselves. He took in a breath and decided that it was his choice. He followed her to the lowest floor bathroom. When she opened the door and proceeded to close it, he didn't let it close. She jumped.

"Oh my God!" She squealed quietly. "Damon!" She let out a breath of anger and relief. "You scared me!"

"Thanks for the compliment." He smiled.

"Seriously?" she questioned. "Damon, I swear…"

"What?" he asked innocently, stepping into the bathroom with her and closing the door. In the semi-enclosed space, he stepped closer.

"Damon," she chuckled. "You're like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." He wasn't sure to take it as a compliment or insult, so he just stepped even closer.

"I would never result to killing myself because I'm partially evil," he protested. "Jekyll was an idiot. The epitome of a moron."

She shook her head.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes." He nodded. "I know." He reached out to touch her face, but she grabbed his hand.

"Don't," she warned. "You weren't nice to me when I arrived. I'm not being the control variable in your stupid little—"

"You're not angry," he convinced her. "You want this. Now."

"Yes," she said, her reaction to the compulsion. "Now?"

"Now," he agreed, stepping closer. He didn't need to do anything. She yanked him with the hand that she had grabbed. He launched forward until his lips met hers and they began to kiss. His hands traced her fabric, as he was dying to do it earlier. She broke away when he began to finger her hair.

"Don't touch the hair," she instructed. He said nothing and began to kiss her again, but felt an odd empty feeling in the pit of his stomach that wouldn't stop. It wouldn't go away, not matter how hard he tried to drown his sorrows out by forcing himself on his play toy. His lips crashed onto hers so hard, she began to lose air. Her hands frantically pushed him away, and he could feel her begin to stop kissing back. He didn't notice, though, as his hands threaded through her hair despite her protest. Finally, as she shoved him away so hard he had no choice but to cease, she gasped very loudly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, cocking his head to the side in wonder as he tried to kiss her neck. She shoved him off.

"You're hurting me," she told him. He laughed.

"That's the point, darling." His fist slammed on the door of the bathroom and he stepped so close, he was providing her oxygen. She turned her head so her cheek was facing him. He took his free hand and tried to turn her head towards him. She began to fight against it.

"Damon!" she squeaked. "Stop! Stop!" Tears were going down her face now. He took her left hand and grabbed it forcefully. He could tell there was a scream coming from her mouth, so he silenced it with his own mouth. She tried to get out of it, but she couldn't. His own hand pinned the back of her wrist to the wall and he did the same with the other. She yelped inside of his mouth. "Stop!" He could hear the muffled cry. "Stop! Damon, stop!"

He pulled away and used his right hand to pin both of her hands to the wall above her. She was crying now.

"Damon, what the _hell _are you doing?" she whispered angrily. "Let me go!"

"You want me," he instructed her. "Don't you?"

"Damon," she whined. She was too hyper for him to compel her. He took his other free hand and tilted her face towards his. "You want me, don't you?" His compulsion was on the highest level he could achieve.

She swallowed hard.

"I want you." The words sounded strained, but she didn't object as he kissed her again. This time, his stomach feeling so empty, it could drop. He broke away from the kiss and grabbed her hands and pinned them to her side.

"You're going to wait sixty seconds before you walk out of this bathroom," he instructed, using his compulsion. "You're going to count."

"Okay," she agreed. He gave her an appreciative smile and realized to himself that he was, in fact, the dominant of their relationship. How _dare _she bring someone else – a _guy _– to this function without running it by him first? He said _someone_, meaning, and he should've specified it, but she should've known better, a _girl_.

He walked out of the bathroom, grabbed a champagne glass from a tray of one of the waiters, and downed it as he walked out for the final words of Ms. Lockwood's speech.

* * *

They had only just started the party and already there was drama all around. She couldn't quite follow it all herself, but she tried. She saw Damon disappear into the mansion and her defensives popped out as Jackson questioned her.

"Lana?" He tried to get her attention. "Lana, are you all right? The whole point of _me _was to distract you from _him_."

_I'm very well aware of your purpose Jackson, _she thought snarkily, but didn't say anything. She only sighed.

"Go home, Jackson," she pleaded. "I'm fine. There's something going on."

"Lana—"

It was too late; she already began to walk away, leaving him in the dust. She only paused to call out, "I'll catch a ride with him, it's okay! Go!" She quickly turned around and began back up the hill to the house.

"Damon?" she called over the halls. She made multiple twists and turns to maneuver her way into an office, where she saw Damon with his back to her, hanging up from a phone call. "Damon?" she asked again. At the call of his name, Damon reluctantly turned around, venom on his face.

"What?" he snapped.

"Are you all right?"

"I _seriously _wish you'd quit asking me that," he said through his teeth. "It's very annoying."

"Obviously something's not right—" she began, but he cut her off.

"Shut _up_," he pleaded desperation in his voice. He caught her by the neck and pulled her closer. His lips pressed on hers and she began to push him away. He let her, oddly. A confused expression was written on his face.

"When will you stop using _this _to get out of our conversations, Damon?" she asked firmly.

"I think you've got this wrong, Lana." He made a noise with his tongue. "_I'm _the one who asks the questions. _I'm _the master, you're the slave. Got it?"

"No, I _don't _'got it'!" she roared. "I'm sick and tired of you trying to use your body against me! It's very frustrating!"

"_Frustrating_?" he mocked with a smile. She crossed her arms.

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Lana, _there _you are!"

Both Lana and Damon turned around to face Jackson, who was standing at the threshold with an annoyed look.

"Jackson, I told you to leave," she said through her teeth.

"I'm not just going to leave you here."

"Last time I checked, douche bag," Damon intervened, "_I'm _her boyfriend, not _you_."

Her heart tightened at his words, but she didn't say anything.

"If you were such a good boyfriend, _prick_, why did she come to _me_?" he countered.

"You know, there are a _lot _of things I can do to you, puppy dog, you better not test me," Damon warned.

"Damon!" Lana scolded. He shrugged and talked without turning to her.

"What?" he remarked. "It's entirely true. I don't like being second best, and I sure as hell won't be to _this _guy?"

"So it's okay for _me _to be but not _you_?"

Damon turned around slowly, slowly comprehending but at the same time, bewildered at her words.

"What?" he asked softly.

"It's okay for _me _to be second best to your love interests," she clarified, "but not for _you _to be second best for mine?" It was a challenge and a statement all in one.

"Lana—"

"Save it." She threw her hands up in frustration and wiped the angry tears from her eyes. "Jackson, thank you for not leaving, could you drive me back?" Jackson nodded.

"You're not going anywhere!" Damon protested and reached out to grab her arm. She grabbed his hand just in time and thrust it back to him.

"Yes I am," she said coldly. Instantly, he felt a sudden urge to let her go. She stormed out with her friend on her tail and he let her.

_I don't need her, _he convinced himself. _I have Elena. _

_I will have Elena, _he corrected himself. _After all, she broke up with Stefan for me. _

* * *

**A/N: Don't worry! That's not the end of the episode! There will be more! I tried to focus on completely being fictional in this one just because I mostly didn't feel like writing in the extra parts. I'm trying to work on the next one tonight. **

**Did you see tonight's episode yet? OH MY KLAUS ELENA IS GETTING ON MY NEGATIVE ONE HUNDREDTH NERVE. How can she do that to poor little Stefan? And then going for ****_Damon _****like ****_two _****seconds after she felt guilty about it? "I feel so guilty…oh, well! Damon! Let's have some sex!" **

**That girl has got issues. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts! Sorry for the unnecessary delay. _**

**_XOXO_**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	9. IX

**A/N: Another chapter? One to make up for lost time!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my writing, characters that I create, and the plotline. **

* * *

**IX**

He hadn't been in a very good mood all day. Could you blame him?

And now, on top of everything else, the girl he loves is about to relinquish her hold on his brother, and his brother will hate him for it. Could the day get any worse?

He had a feeling that was exactly what was going to go down.

Elena turned up on his doorstep, and he stared at her vision from behind the door as he opened it. He could see the color come back to her face and her eyes twinkle. Something was very wrong, he could smell it in the air, but he didn't want to believe it was true. The same old Elena just…in love with him, like he always wanted her to be.

Now it was happening, he was starting to regret making Lana his only salvation, which clearly was about to change.

Everything is about to change.

Stefan, who was obviously surprised and uncomfortable to see Elena enter the boarding house with her suitcase, appeared by the fireplace. Damon swallowed hard.

The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his brother once more, but was he willing to give up his love for Elena if it meant losing the brother that has been there for him his entire life?

"I can't stay at home anymore." It sounded like Stefan _needed _an explanation for Elena to come and stay at the boarding house. Stefan's eyes flickered to Damon, and Damon could only imagine the things running through his brother's mind.

"Pick a room," Stefan challenged. Damon felt a ripple through his chest. It was agonizing. To think of everything that's happened.

Reluctantly, Damon looked out the door to see if there was anyone there, but it was as quiet as a church besides the crickets. He let out an inward sigh. Wait. Was he actually _looking _for _her_?

"I'll crash somewhere else," Stefan decided irrationally and stepped out. Damon thought about saying something, but Stefan was already gone. He felt the words _sore loser _run through his mind and immediately scolded himself. He should know better.

Elena and him were left alone, standing and watching his brother and her ex-lover leave.

* * *

"Thanks." Elena sighed as Damon handed her a glass of alcohol. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable, being along with her in this huge house with…bedrooms. _Why _he was feeling this way, he couldn't tell you. It made him nervous to be around her – it always had been.

"I was being polite," Damon said aloud, trying to cover his shock as she drank from the cup he offered her. "I thought you hated whisky." _I thought you'd never love me, too. _

"My brother wants to kill me," she explained. Damon smiled slightly.

"Welcome to the club." He could only imagine the hateful thoughts Stefan was thinking now. He tilted his glass to her and she tilted hers, too, so the crystal made a nice _clink _sound. They both smiled at each other and drank from their cups.

"Jeremy can't live with me," _here we go, _"Stefan wants to fix me, and Caroline flat out admitted that she doesn't like me this way." He could only listen. She was leaving out him, and he didn't like where it was going. "I think it's safe to say that I'm not so great at this vampire thing."

_Vampire _thing_? _He thought resentfully. A girl like her should be writhing with power in her state….almost like Katherine.

"You want to know what I think?" he challenged.

"Hm?" she said faintly, sitting up.

"I don't think I've ever seen you more _alive_."

He could see her change in expression. _I didn't just say that. _

Emotions ran wild through him. On one hand, this amazing, beautiful woman who he's known and loved for around three years has taken his heart and won't let him have it again. She won't give him hers, either. But now…now he could see this beautiful woman, heartbroken and scorned by her own actions, sitting in front of him slowly contemplating his existence. It was mostly a dream to him, the way she looked at him and contemplated her next move. He'd never felt so intense with someone besides her doppelganger, but now this felt _real_. Not that it hadn't felt real before, but he knew now that it wasn't real. This _is_.

And on the other, he had unresolved and horrible, terrifying thoughts to the girl that he had scorned himself for along the rough end of three weeks. The things he wanted to do, the blood he wanted to taste, and the fear he wanted to prescribe. That part of him flowed out and he could be whoever he wanted with her, because he had her under his spell.

Would she really let him do all those things if she wasn't?

What would Elena think if she found out? _She would hate me, _he realized. _She would hate me so much; I'd be back to square "fuck-off, Damon". _

Elena gave him a small smile and continued.

"That dance that they did today," she started. _Oh, no. No. No. No. No. Yes. _"It reminded me of when—"

"When _we _danced together?" He couldn't take it, he had to interrupt. He felt the words rush out of his mouth like the whiskey he'd just tasted. A smile erupted on both of their faces. She gave a small breath of air.

"I wanted to dance with you today."

It was words he loved oh very much, but words he dreaded like a tornado.

Nevertheless, his mind took control. The good part of his mind who wanted her so badly, it caused him pain in his heart. He set his whiskey down on the table and thereafter, his body and conscience was disconnected. He wasn't going to do the right thing for the girl he manipulated _or _his very own brother. He took Elena's hand and pulled her up. She took it gracefully and he led her in front of the fire.

Their hands locked, and he felt a ripple of emptiness rush through him. Or was it joy?

He didn't know. He didn't care. Their lips were inches apart, but he didn't dare make a move. It would be on her terms this time. He wasn't going to let himself be pulled apart.

He swayed even though there was no music in their ears. Their heads rested against each other's and they danced.

The time where Elena and him first met. Him telling her he loved her. Her crying on him. Stefan leaving. All of those memories didn't matter now. Nothing mattered. He felt numb in every place of his body. He wasn't thinking rationally. He wasn't doing anything else but what she wanted, and she the same. They both swayed back and forth until he realized he should be doing more. He took her arm and extended her so she twirled under it. He watched her as she floated back to him, and she hit him...

Hard.

Their lips met, and it wasn't his fault. She pulled him closer and this time, was the one who was doing mostly everything. Her smell was intoxicating, and he couldn't think straight now. She was the only one who mattered in a very, very dark room with everyone else he had to worry about – even himself. It was him and her – that's all that mattered. Him and her.

He wanted to keep it innocent; to show her that he wasn't pressuring her at all. But this time, it wasn't him who was doing the pressuring. She forced his mouth open so she could gain entryway. She ran her hands through his hair so he repeated. She pulled him so close; they both felt as if they were only one person – not two. _Oh God…_his mind was reeling. She…her…him…it was all too much.

But he didn't stop it. Oh, _God _no, he would never stop it.

Then, she did something so unexpected he wasn't aware of it. She began to use her vampire speed, knocking over a lamp. Damon put his hands up to resist, but she didn't care. She only wanted him, and he only wanted her. He let himself go.

And soon, they both were.

* * *

"Turn right and you have reached your destination."

She turned the GPS navigator off. She didn't even need it, but she felt so anxious, she needed to do something. She needed someone or something to tell her what to do. But nevertheless, she knew this route by the back of her hand. When she pulled in the driveway, she took a deep breath and shut off the car.

When she got to the doorstep, she knocked lightly.

"Damon?" she called softly. He hadn't called her or communicated with her, but they were having a fight, and it was her fault. He was probably seething by now. "Damon?"

When she turned the knob, it opened the door with elegant ease. She looked to the left and to the right and just decided to come in. She closed the door behind her softly and whispered again, "Damon?"

He was a vampire; he could hear her, right?

"Damon?" she called it more than once as she began to walk up the stairs. She had changed, now, from her nice dress to a mini-skirt and a simple shirt. She wore the Louboutins that she knew Damon was crazy about. She only wanted him to forgive her – she didn't mean what she said.

"Damon?" she asked once more. Maybe he wasn't home.

"Mm…"

It wasn't from her mouth, so it must be someone who was home. She prayed it wasn't his brother or someone who didn't know of her existence. She only wanted it to be Damon.

Panting occurred. "Damon…"

So Damon _was_ home. But he wasn't alone.

She was ready to turn around, but she had already gotten up to the floor of his room. She went up one stair and paused at the door.

"Damon!"

It still wasn't her words from her mouth. Suddenly, she realized that it was a woman. And she was making…_noises_. Not regular ones.

Nevertheless, her mind was out of control. She stepped just an inch closer and looked through the crack of the door. Damon was on the bed and a girl climbed on top of him. She was a vampire, she could tell by the way Damon flipped her over once and she flipped them over again, both of them only wearing their undergarments. She looked at the girl her was with and slowly began to realize.

_Elena._

Stumbling, trying to be as quiet as she could while getting out and crying at the same time (although it didn't really matter; apparently, both of them were entirely too busy to hear her), she made her way down the stairs and rushed out the door. When she was out, she paused by her car to get a breath. _Inhale, exhale, _she reminded herself, but all she could get out was a sob. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair!

_He warned you, _something inside of her said. _He warned you, Lana. This is _your _fault. _

_He can never love again, _she remembered the conversation.

_But I think I can. _

Wiping her tears off of her face, in desperation to do something, she climbed in her car and sped away from the house as fast as she could. Without knowing it, she drove herself into the town square, where she had came in one day. Remembering the place she had lunch at, she pulled into the Mystic Grill's parking lot and parked. After attempting to dry all of her tears off her eyes, she hoped and prayed that it was open. Surely enough, it was. It was only nine thirty.

When she walked in, the place was empty. Only one or two people were in the grill, most of them at the bar. Her legs carried her weakly to the bar and she sat down, still stricken.

"What can I get you?" She looked up to see a blonde-haired, blue-green eyed boy in front of her, smiling. He tilted his head. "Are you okay?"

She tried to force a smile, but shook her head as tears welled up.

"No," she admitted. "I'm not."

"Are you new here?"

"Just stopping by." She wiped her eyes. He smiled.

"Well I'm off in two minutes when the bartender comes in to work the last hour," he offered, "I could sit with you. We could talk."

"Really?" she asked, as if not believing it. "You would do that for a random stranger?"

"A _beautiful _random stranger," he clarified with another smile. "And of course. You look like you could use a friend."

"I could," she admitted.

"Matt," he introduced.

"Lana," she said, and ordered her drink.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter is completely fictional and a flashback. This is where you get to learn about Lana's story for the whole "I can never love again" conversation they had back when they were talking (them meaning Damon and Lana). **

**UGGH. I had to watch the part where Damon and Elena were sleeping together. Rawr. Not a happy me. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_XOXO_**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	10. X

**A/N: I'm sorry about the delay! After last night, trust me, today is going to be an ****_I Can Never Love Again _****day! So, enjoy! A special tenth chapter where it flashes back. Finally, you get to see into Lana's head. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my writing, the characters that I create, and the plotline. By the way, Lana is EIGHTEEN in this chapter. It's her first day in college. **

* * *

**X**

_September, 2008_

_You'd think it was all fictional. Being with someone romantically for your whole life. Growing up, growing old. Getting through a year of high school with one person is hard enough. But, not for them. They'd been together since the seventh grade and now they were entering their freshman year in college, one localized in Virginia where they grew up together and planned to grow old together. They would never let anyone or anything get in the way of that. _

_Today, the first day of college, the mark of their new lives together, was beginning. _

_She laced her hand through his and they walked into the school together, staring at each other and smiling. She blushed a shade of red so deep; the blood was showing through her cheeks. _

_"I love you," he said carefully. She nodded. _

_"I love you, too," she said back and they kissed for a split second before someone interrupted. _

_"Peter! Lana!" someone called out to them. They broke apart, still holding on to each other's hands. Lana's smile turned up as Peter squeezed her hand lightly and they watched as Molly, one of their friends from high school, raced over to them, her curly blonde hair bouncing over her shoulder. _

_"It's so good to see you guys," Molly exclaimed, coming up to them and hugging them individually. "How was your summer?" _

_"Great," Peter answered. Lana looked into his eyes, but he was staring at Molly. She averted hers to look at Molly, too. "Yours?" _

_"Amazing!" she exclaimed. "I went to France. The Eiffel Tower was so _beautiful! _Oh, Lana, you would've _loved _it!" She took Lana's hand and squeezed it. Seeing Lana and Peter's interlocked hands, Molly laughed. "I see you guys are still going strong." _

_"Did you expect less?" Lana laughed. It wasn't meant to be an intimidating statement, even though some would perceive it that way. Peter released Lana's hand again. _

_"Yeah," he said, sort-of answering the question. "So, Molly, what do you have for your first class?" _

_Lana was exclusively cut out of the conversation, only laughing when Molly or Peter said something funny. Eventually, she realized she needed to go register for her dorm. _

_"Peter," she said carefully, putting her arm on his shoulder. "I'm going to go get my dorm room number. Do you want me to get yours?" _

_"I got it," he said, smiling. "Thanks, though." _

_"Yup," she said. She looked at Molly. "I've got to run. I'll see you later?" she asked hopefully. Molly bobbed her head up and down, her golden hair shaking. _

_"Of course!" Molly said and pulled Lana into a hug. "We're going to have the _best _times together!" _

_Lana nodded and turned to Peter, who gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later, okay?" he asked. She nodded. _

_"Yeah," she said. "I'm just going to move in my things." _

_"Okay," he said. "Dinner? Tonight?" _

_"Sure," she agreed and squeezed his arm. "I'll see you later, guys." _

_"Bye!" Molly said perkily as Lana walked away. As she went up the hill to the registration desk, she looked back over her shoulder and saw her boyfriend and one of her best friends laughing with each other, Molly blushing and Peter smiling. _

_But did she think anything less than they were friends? Of course not, because love deceives you. Love will never tell the truth as long as they both shall live. _

_Of course, she didn't realize this until _after _she had experienced College Life Peter. _

* * *

_The elevator ride had to be at least two minutes. She was all the way up on the top floor, and it was good they had an elevator so she didn't have to carry all of her things with the stairs. Turning to her dorm room, Lana opened the door to her new dorm to find her new roommate setting up her things. _

_"Hi," the girl said. "I'm Hannah. You must be my new roommate." _

_"Yeah," Lana agreed, "I'm Lana." _

_"We're going to have _so _much fun together!" Hannah exclaimed. "You have a boyfriend?" _

_Lana found it funny that it was one of the first words out of her new roommate's mouth. "Yes," Lana answered. _

_"How nice!" Hannah exclaimed. "What's his name?" _

_Lana moved something of hers into the room. _

_"Peter," she said and began to wrap her hair up in a high ponytail. _

_"Peter," Hannah echoed. "How long have you known each other?" _

_"Since…" Lana trailed off and smiled. "I can't even remember, can you believe that? We were friends for a long time and then got together in the seventh grade." _

_Hannah's mouth dropped to the floor. "And you're _still _together?" _

_"Yes," Lana admitted. "We're still together." _

_There was a knock on the door and, sure enough, Peter was standing there, his hands in his pockets. Lana smiled. "Speak of the devil, right?" she joked. Peter smiled and walked over to her, giving her a light and impassionate kiss. _

_"I like your room," he said, gesturing around the space."It's better than mine." His eyes roamed over her roommate. "Who's this?" _

_"Hannah Perkins," Hannah introduced herself. _

_"Peter Laze," he introduced, partially distracted. He turned to Lana without any further conversation with her roommate. "So, Lana, you know how we planned to have dinner tonight?" he asked. She nodded. _

_"Yeah," she said. "Why?" _

_"Well…" he trailed off. "Molly wants to come, too." _

_"Molly?" Lana asked, disappointed. "What? Why? I thought it was just going to be the two of us." _

_"I know, sweetheart." Peter tucked a piece of hair behind her ears. "Please? She just wants to come for dinner with us. She doesn't have anyone here?" _

_Lana paused. Molly was her friend, how could she say no? "Of course," she said finally. "Molly can come." _

_"Yes!" Peter kissed her lightly. When he pulled away, she smiled. "I promise; I'll make it up to you. I'll take you out afterwards, okay?" _

_"Okay," she said sheepishly. He smiled and kissed her again before telling her he had to depart. They kissed again and he left, giving one small goodbye to Lana's new roommate._

_Hannah only smiled and said, "Well, he's special." _

_"Yeah," Lana said, not realizing the sarcastic tone in Hannah's voice. "He is. And he's mine." _

* * *

_Over the next two days, things began to become a routine. Peter, Molly, and Lana, together all the time unless they had separate classes. Lana didn't worry, Lana didn't complain. She only wanted to make sure that her friends were happy. There was nothing more she wanted. Sometimes, she would go out with Hannah and Peter, but Peter didn't like Hannah that much, and the feeling seemed mutual. Eventually, she gave up on trying making them friends. So, she proposed a compromise. Sometimes, Peter would stay home and Lana and Hannah would go out. _

_The routine grew more and more, and Lana and Peter barely got alone time. Finally, on a three-day weekend, Peter's roommate left to go to his parents' house, leaving Peter alone. He invited Lana over, where they began to receive the alone time they deserved. They kissed and talked and kissed some more. Things were beginning to be normal again. _

_Until the subject of Molly Rain came up. _

_"I just don't see why you want to go out with her _all _the time," Lana claimed, not raising her voice at all. She couldn't say the same for her boyfriend. He began to get angry. "She has other friends." _

_"Lana, _we're _her friends!" he exclaimed. "We should be there for her, don't you think?" _

_"Of course, Peter," she said. "But not all the time. _We're _the couple, not her. Not her and me, and not you and her. _We're _the couple, we deserve the alone time." _

_"I'm just asking for dinner with her." _

_"We haven't had any alone time in _weeks_," she said, trying to be calm. "I'm just suggesting—" _

_"Whose fault is that?" he proposed. She stared at him. "All you want to do is hang out with your stupid roommate!" _

_"She's not stupid," Lana countered. _

_"She hates me!" _

_"That doesn't make her stupid, Peter, it gives her an _opinion_. And it doesn't mean it changes the way I feel about you." _

_"Lana, I'm sick and tired of all this crap!" he raged. "All you want to do is spend time with her. All you want to do is have time alone with me. You're so selfish! Let someone else have time with us!" _

_"I'm not _selfish_," she said. He laughed a sweet, vindictive laughter. "All _you _want to do is hang out with Molly! Doesn't that make her selfish to want to hang out with you all the time when _I'm _your girlfriend?" _

_As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she felt something on her face – Peter's hand. His palm slapped her face, making her head turn the other way and her knees give out from underneath her. She clutched her face, feeling the stinging burn from the friction of his hand. He bent down to her side and looked into her eyes. She was crying, tears staining her cheeks and trying to cool the burning sensation that ran down her cheek. His eyes were so cold and remorseless, they made her cry even more. _

_"Stop being selfish, Lana," he ordered. She swallowed ."Molly is our friend. You don't get to make that decision." _

_Lana couldn't help but cry harder. He stepped over her and grabbed a flask from his drawer. Instantly, he drank the contents of it and tossed the flask back into his drawer. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up from the floor. _

_"Please," she pleaded. "Peter, stop. She can come to dinner, she can come wherever she wants to. Just don't throw me out," she pleaded. "I love you." _

_"Not tonight," he said briskly and opened the door, forcing her out. "Get out, Lana. I'll see you tomorrow if I feel like it." _

_He shoved her out of his dorm and slammed the door shut. She collapsed to her knees and began to bang on the door. "Peter!" she yelled out. "Peter, let me in!" _

_He didn't let her in. After a half hour of begging at his door, she made her way out of the dorm and made her way back to her own dorm, where Hannah was there to comfort her. _

_"Don't," Lana said briskly and sat down on her bed. "I don't want to talk about it. I just want to wait for tomorrow until Peter calls me." _

_Hannah stared in disbelief as she recognized the red handprint on the side of Lana's face. _

_"Lana!" _

_"No," Lana said carefully. "It's okay. Leave it alone." _

_"Lana—"_

_"Hannah!" Lana exclaimed, raising her voice. Hannah shut up instantly, never hearing Lana raise her voice before. Lana swallowed and said softly, "If Peter is at the door, wake me." _

_"Lana—"_

_"Leave it alone," Lana instructed and turned to go into her bed._

* * *

_A few months passed. Lana didn't say anything about his abuse and nothing to him about the way she felt about it. She didn't feel anything – nothing at all._

_Eventually, things began to turn upside down – even more upside down than she realized. One day, she had told Peter she was going away to see her parents, and he said he was staying behind. As she was driving to their home, her parents told her that she couldn't come because they forgot they had tickets to New York and they were supposed to leave the next day. She turned around and went back to the campus. Instantly, she went to her room and put the key in the lock. She heard noises, giggles, and closed her eyes. But instantly, she remembered that Hannah said she wouldn't be home…for at least another hour, Lana realized. It wasn't Hannah in the apartment. _

_Before she could stop herself, the door was ripped open, and she stepped inside. _

_She was right. It wasn't Hannah. It wasn't Hannah with anyone else. It wasn't even _burglars_. It was her own boyfriend, in her bed, having sex with her friend, Molly, right in front of Lana's eyes. She couldn't handle it, and she began to break down crying. _

_"Peter?" she asked in disbelief. She expected Peter to say something, protesting against Lana's vision, but he only laughed. _

_"Well, it's about time you realized." He laughed. "I'm sorry it had to come to this. I'm surprised you didn't catch us the first three times we did it in your bed." He paused. "And you didn't even change the sheets?" _

_She began to become repulsed. It was sickening to her, and she felt her stomach drop to the floor. As if things couldn't get any worse, she realized what she had to do. _

_"We're done," she said instantly. "Over. Finished. Get out." _

_"Oh, no." Peter shook his head. "I'm not letting you get away that easy, Lana, I'm not done with you yet." _

_"GET OUT!" she screamed. "Get out! Get out! Get out! I hate you! Get out of my bedroom!" _

_He didn't move. She couldn't stand another moment looking at him. She ran away quickly, feeling her legs go numb and carry her away. She was blurred by tears and eventually ran into things. Suddenly, she felt arms around her. _

_"Let. Me. Go!" she exclaimed. In front of her, Peter smiled. _

_"I'm afraid I can't do that." He wrapped his fingers around her throat and leaned in closer. "I've been waiting for this moment for eighteen _years_, Lana," he said. She felt chills run through her spine and eventually began making choke noises. His fingers tightened around her throat and she couldn't breathe. She began to silently wail and throw her arms out. With her tears in her eyes, she saw Peter's flash of white smile. _

_"I've been cheating on you for _years_, Lana," he said loudly. "_Years_." _

_She couldn't breathe anymore. The last thing she remembered was his tightening fingers, and her eyes closing. And then someone yelled, and hen the fingers were gone. _

_And then she woke up in the hospital. And then a police officer told her that her boyfriend had been arrested for attempted murder and women's abuse. And then she gave her statement. And then she was recommended to therapy. And then she realized. _

_After this, she would never love again. For as long as she lived. _

* * *

**A/N: So, that was the biggest tragedy of all, and Damon thought ****_his _****feelings were bad! I'm working on the next chapter now, so stay tuned!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	11. XI

**A/N: Okay! You guys ready to resume? It's going to start getting intense, now! I promise you!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing about this story other than my writing, characters, and plotline. TVD is not mine. Unfortunately. **

* * *

**_XI_**

Was it possible for him to be this happy?

He didn't want to believe it, so he kept his eyes closed. He could hear movement, but he didn't want to open his eyes. He half-expected for someone else to be at the other side of the bed, but it wasn't.

And maybe he was glad about that.

He didn't tell her, and he knew he wasn't going to tell her. But after last night…

_Oh shit, _he thought. _Was last night a dream_?

He opened his eyes and saw no one on the other side of the bed. No one. He cursed to himself, cursing himself for even _thinking _that it was real. It can't be real. She's in love with Stefan – of course she is.

"Elena?" He didn't want the word to come out of his mouth, but it did.

"Hey." Someone rounded the corner, and his heart thudded. _Elena's here…in my shirt…Elena's here. _

"Hey." He tried to keep calm.

She jumped on the bed, making it shudder. He couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth.

"I thought you might've left," he said carefully, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"No," she said. "I don't have to be at school for…" She pretended to look at a watch. "At _least _twenty minutes ago."

She leaned in and kissed him, and it took all he had to keep from doing something he didn't want to do. She had to get to school…He couldn't possibly…

He pulled away and smiled, playing with the buttons on his shirt. He smiled wider.

"What's that face?" she asked, smiling, too.

"What face?" he smiled again and looked into her eyes.

"That face," she whispered.

"I'm happy," he said after a moment's thought. He played with her hair and she smiled. He moved in again with a kiss and she wrapped her leg around his waist, taking no prisoners.

Slowly, she moved on top of him, and they began again.

* * *

"Have we literally been here all night?" Matt laughed as he began to clean up their drinks. She smiled at him and tousled her hair.

"I guess so," she admitted. "But it was fun," she said. "Thank you."

"No problem." He smiled at her. She smiled back at him and he looked down. "Oh, and by the way, that guy seems like a douche," Matt suggested. "Dump him before he dumps you."

"But I like him," Lana whined. "A lot. _A lot, _a lot."

"That doesn't make up for him having sex with another girl," Matt disagreed. "You deserve better…from the eight hours I've known you."

"Oh yeah?" she questioned. "Someone like you?"

"Someone like me," he agreed. "But not me…unless…"

"I appreciate the offer," she said. "But I better get to his house before he probably mauls me to death," she joked. Matt didn't take it as a joke.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I just better get to the house."

"Does he live here?"

She bit her lip and decided what to say. She opened her mouth to agree, but someone walked into the Grill. A bronze-haired, brooding boy who…_looked _like Damon but wasn't, walked into the Grill.

"Hey, Matt…" the boy trailed off. "Who's this?"

"Lana," she said instantly. "I'm just someone who…wasted Matt's sleep talking about a boy." She smiled. He smiled back.

"Stefan Salvatore," he introduced himself. Lana's heart sped up. _Salvatore_? _Salvatore_? _Salvatore? _

_This is Damon's brother, _she slowly began to realize.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked. Lana nodded.

"Uh…yeah," she said, trying to snap out of it. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Stefan. Say hi to Damon for me." She paused and moved on hastily, regretting what she said. She turned to Matt. "Thanks," she said. "For last night."

"Did you just say Damon?" Stefan asked when Matt had his jaw on the floor. "Why Damon? Do you know him?"

"Um…yes?" she squeaked out. "Well, no. But…yes."

"Lana." Stefan gripped her arms. "I need you to tell me how you know Damon."

"I don't," she said instantly. "Matt, didn't you say Stefan had an older brother named Damon?" She turned to Stefan. "We talked about you guys last night.

"Yeah, I did." Matt shrugged.

"Oh," Stefan said, his voice dropping along with his arms. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she said. "Bye."

"I'll see you," Matt said.

"Sometime," she agreed and began to back away.

"Good luck with the boy troubles." Stefan gave her a wink. She nodded.

"Yeah…yeah…" she said. "Thanks."

"Yup."

"Bye."

"Bye," the two boys echoed. She hastily rushed out into the morning sun, squinting when the sunlight hit her face. She pulled out her phone instantly and composed a text message.

_I need to see you, _she said. _Now. _

She sent the message with a slight hesitation. There was no response. She groaned loudly and jumped in her car, thinking she should head back to her dorm before going to Damon's house.

She figured he would want to say goodbye to his lover before she showed up, right?

* * *

They walked down the stairs, laughing like nothing was wrong. Well, nothing _was _wrong, right?

"Bag?" he suggested. She grabbed her schoolbag and smiled.

"I got it," she responded. He twirled her around and wrapped the maroon scarf around her neck.

"Scarf?" he said. She smiled as he used the ends to bring her closer, slowly kissing her. He was kissing Elena. _I am kissing Elena_! He never thought a day would come where this would happen, and he loved it. It wasn't a passionate, mind-consuming kiss that he used to get her to realize that she loved him, it was a kiss that she willingly participated in – one that meant something other than sex. And he loved it. He wanted to enjoy every second of it.

But it was all over too soon.

"Listen, Damon—"

He put a finger to her soft lips. "No, no, no, no. Don't ruin it." She removed his hand and smiled.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Well, I'm assuming it starts with 'what are we' and ends with 'going to tell Stefan'." She nodded. It was a very good assumption.

"He should know," Elena said.

"I know he should know!" Damon groaned, partially whining. He had his own little pet he had to let down easy – he didn't want to have another one that he couldn't compel. "I just don't know _when _he should know it." It was a simple Damon technique – getting around the truth.

"Well he knows that _something _is going on between us, I mean, it's the reason he and I broke up."

"Yeah, but can't we let ourselves enjoy _one _secret"—he cupped her face— "until the selfish day before we destroy his?"

"We shouldn't—"

"No, Elena, this is _our time_." He couldn't _believe _how selfish he was being – like the Old Damon was back. Nevertheless, he continued. "It's never been right before, but it is right now. Just one day?" he pleaded. "_One _day?" he asked, smiling.

She smiled. "Okay," she agreed. _"One _day."

"Yes!" he said to himself. She smiled and they walked to the door to send her off to school.

Only, when they opened the door, they got an even bigger surprise.

_Stefan. _

Elena inhaled. "Hey."

Stefan, with his hands in his pockets, shrugged. "Hey."

Damon stayed silent.

"See you in history?" Elena asked. He smiled falsely.

"Yeah," he agreed. She smiled closed-mouthed and began to walk out. Stefan entered the Boarding House.

"Hey." Damon nodded and closed the door. When they were alone, Damon thought to himself, _awkward_.

"Listen," Stefan said, finally breaking the ice. "We need to talk."

* * *

"Hey," Hannah greeted her friend at the door. "How'd it go?"

"_Horrible_." Lana rubbed her head. "First of all, I think I'm hung-over, but can you get hung-over if you haven't had any sleep?"

Hannah laughed as Lana entered the apartment.

"Was it that bad?" Hannah asked. Lana whistled.

"Hannah, _bad _is putting it lightly." Lana paused and sat down on her bed. "Gosh, Hannah! Why did I ever listen to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"None of this would've happened if you didn't make me bring Jackson!"

"I thought you were going back to apologize!" Hannah smiled and then frowned. "Did something go wrong? Did he hurt you?"

"Hannah, _please_," Lana protested. "Not _every _guy is like Peter. They all don't try and kill me." She hated _talking_ about this.

"I'm sorry," Hannah apologized. "I'm just concerned."

Lana sighed. "I know. Thank you." She paused. "Yes, I was going back to apologize and…and…"

What was she going to say? That she found him in bed with his ex-girlfriend/current girlfriend? She wasn't even sure what Elena was, and she knew that _he _didn't even know what Elena was. She didn't know what to do – what to tell her best friend. She had already walked in on someone before and that was the start of everything. That was the start of everything.

And before Damon, she thought it was the end.

"And?"

Lana thought. "And…" she trailed off. "He wasn't there," she said finally. "He wasn't there. I'm guessing he was just out or something." She shrugged. "I don't know. But then I met this guy at the Mystic Falls Grill…he was so nice…and then I met Damon's _brother_."

"Whoa." Hannah paused. "Damon's _brother_?"

"Yes," Lana responded. "And I kind of slipped up about Damon."

"Lana!"

"I know," Lana nodded. "But then, I saved myself and he doesn't know anything." She waited. "But what if he tells Damon? I'm screwed!"

"Do you think he'll hurt you?"

"Hannah, if you don't _shut up _about that, I will not be very happy with you."

Hannah stayed quiet.

"Okay," she agreed. "What are you going to do, Lana? What do you want to do?"

Lana sighed and thought. "I want to get dressed," she said instantly. "And then I want to go to his house again."

* * *

"Sired? Really, Stefan?" Damon scoffed. Stefan shrugged. "That is the most _pathetic _nonsense I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and you've said some _crap _in your day." He couldn't believe this. Of course, _right _after he slept with Elena. Were there fucking _cameras _in this home? Is that how Stefan knew and then came up with this _ridiculous _excuse to keep him from being happy?

"Look, it was _your _blood that turned her, right? I mean, she's been different from day one because of you, you can't deny that!"

"Sure I can!" Damon protested. "I finally got Elena to a good place about being a vampire and _you _two idiots can't stand that she's happy because of _me_."

"All right," Stefan said. "You know what? Prove me wrong. Tell her it's okay to drink from a blood bag."

"She can't! Her weird…doppelganger body rejected the blood from the bag."

"Right!" Stefan claimed. "Because you _told _her to! You said she had to drink warm human blood _straight _from the vein. She almost died to make you happy!"

_ I refuse to believe this,_ Damon thought. _No way. Stefan's just a jealous freak. _

"Just ask her to drink from a blood bag," Stefan proposed. "Make sure to tell her how happy you'll be if it works. And if I'm wrong, I'll be the first to apologize."

_I can't believe this! _

"When her body rejects this blood, which it will," Damon said carefully, "your apology better be epic."

He rose angrily and went to the basement to get the blood bags, for which he would show his brother how wrong he was.

* * *

"Call Damon."

"Calling Damon," the phone announced. The dial rang and she tapped her fingers on her side as she waited for him to pick up.

_"This is Damon, leave a message," _it said after its second ring. She realized what that meant.

_Holy shit, _she realized. _He's ignoring my calls!_

"Lana! Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana!" Hannah rushed into the bathroom to grab her friend. "We're going to be _late_!"

"Late for what?"

"There's a seminar today!" Hannah rushed her out. "I know you want to go see your boyfriend, but this is important. If we're not there, we get kicked out."

"_What_?" This couldn't have gotten worse. "How long does it last?"

"Until six."

_There it went, _Lana thought. _It just got worse. _

"Ugh!" She groaned. "Fine!"

She whipped out her phone and quickly composed another text message, not caring if Damon read it or not.

_There's a seminar at the college. If I don't go, I'll get kicked out. My phone is off, okay? Don't freak out this time. _

"Hurry!" Hannah urged.

"Coming!" Lana yelled back as she turned her phone off and slipped it in her back pocket.

* * *

He spotted her in the hallway and decided it was time. He would show his brother how wrong he was. He nodded his head over to an empty classroom when he caught her eyes and heard her rush to get away from her friends.

"You being here makes your…selfish secret day a little difficult, don't you think?"

"Mm…" He couldn't bring himself to say anything but. He wanted to prove Stefan wrong…but what if it was true? He held up the blood bag. "You forgot your lunch," he said amusingly.

"I can't," she said. "You know I can't."

"Well, the last time you tried it, the circumstances were…less than optimal…" He searched for an excuse. "I just think that you should give it another try. See if it works." He paused as he saw her face frown. "I really think it will." He didn't. He hoped it wouldn't.

She looked into his eyes and he smiled bitterly. Could you blame him? "For me?" he pleaded.

_Don't take the bag, Elena, don't take the bag. _

She took the bag from his hands and opened it up. He sighed. _You can't drink it. You can't drink it. It's going to backfire – _please _let it backfire. _

She swallowed the blood and he waited in anticipation. _Please throw it up. _

Instead of throwing up, she paused as she gulped down the blood and took more.

_Oh, no. No…._

His heart broke at the sight as she sucked on the bag and began to drink more.

"Are you okay?" he asked, hoping she said no. Instead, she drank more and more and more without any blood spurting out of her mouth. _Damn it! _

She released the blood bag from her mouth.

She paused. "I'm fine," she said. "It tastes like blood. The last time it was like…hot _garbage_." She smiled and began to drink more. Damon's heart sank in his chest. _No. _

"You're sure you're okay?" he asked, partially in denial.

"I'm better than okay!" She smiled and laughed. "Maybe last time it was…a bad batch or something….I can't believe this, Damon!" _Yeah? Me, neither. _"I don't have to hurt people anymore!" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt his heart sink even further.

"I have to get to class," she said. "Thank you."

She leaned up and kissed him. He kissed back, trying to make sure she didn't realize anything was wrong, but inside…_everything _was wrong. Everything and anything. Anything and _everything. _

And she left.

_She's sired to me, _Damon thought as his phone rang. He looked at the number and hovered his finger over the _answer _button. Slowly, his finger wanted to press down on it, but instead he hit _ignore. _Seconds later, there was a text message.

_There's a seminar at the college. If I don't go, I'll get kicked out. My phone is off, okay? Don't freak out this time. _

He smiled lightly, but then put his phone back into his pocket.

_She's sired to me. Everything…everything wasn't real. _

And immediately, he felt the need for more blood from his own personal blood bag.

* * *

**A/N: Okay! Next chapter Damon and Lana reunite again…heart break, another tragedy, and then I'm going to move onto the next episode, ****_O Come, O Ye Faithful, _****and then we'll hit the midseason premiere, where I'm sure, at the end, you guys are going to be mad/happy/or freaking out. More soon!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	12. XII

**A/N: Sorry for the short delay. But here I am!**

**So, I'm going to skip over the whole "Bourbon Street" thing. Just because it's wasting time, there is nothing really that can happen, and I want to get to the good part already! Lol!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing besides my writing, characters, and plotline. TVD isn't mine… By the way, there's a quote in here that I couldn't make out on the TV show because Caroline was laughing while she said it, so I just picked the closest thing I could think of!**

***Warning: Intense chapter! Might make you cry! (I know I did!)***

* * *

**_XII_**

Elena fell down into the bathtub, laughing like crazy. Caroline and Bonnie were laughing, too, Bonnie with her cell phone in hand.

"Check this out," Bonnie said smugly. "Vamp-speed video."

Elena grabbed the phone and looked at the video. It was her in the small screen, speeding to the dining table to grab another bottle of champagne and the next frame had her moving back to her original spot. Elena laughed. "I look like Superman!" she noted. "Watch this!" She pressed a button that took a picture of her speeding at vampire speed. She smiled and showed the picture to Bonnie and Caroline. "This year's Christmas card," she joked.

Bonnie and Caroline laughed from outside of Damon's tub. Elena smiled and continued to talk, high on whatever Bonnie burned. "Being a vampire is so…weird….Oh my God!" She felt around the tub. "I _love _this bathtub," without taking a breath, she added, "why don't I come hang out here more often?" She tilted back in the bathtub, feeling the cold surface on her skin.

Caroline responded. "I'll tell you why. Cooties." Caroline laughed. "Think of all the germ-ridden _skanks_ that Damon has lured into his den!" She found amusement in the comment. Elena, on the other hand, did not.

Before she could say anything, someone interrupted them, yelling out Elena's boyfriend's name.

"Damon?" someone called. "Damon? I don't know if you got my message but—" Lana stopped short when she appeared in the threshold of the bathroom, seeing the three girls hanging inside of the bathroom. "But…I see that Damon isn't here…"

_Oh, crap, _Lana thought. Elena raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah," she said. "Damon isn't here right now. Who are you?"

Elena could see the blood racing through the girl's veins. _Human_, Elena thought with a hunger in her mouth.

"I'm Lana," Lana introduced, careful not to say anything else. Well, she _couldn't _say anything else. Anything that had to do with what Damon told her she couldn't say.

Lana looked at the girl who was asking her the question. It was Elena, the beautiful, famous Elena Gilbert that she saw her boyfriend having sex with the other night.

And she wasn't sure how she felt about it yet.

"So you just walk into random people's houses without even so much as knocking on the door."

Lana felt an anger bubble inside of her as Elena gave her the evil eye.

She realized just exactly what she felt towards Elena. Pure, evil, unending hatred.

It wasn't possible for her to feel this much hatred to someone other than her own self, but this time it really was hatred she could not explain. She looked at Elena, the Elena who slept with Damon right in front of Lana's very eyes, the Elena who looked so smug and satisfied with herself that she couldn't open her eyes and see that Damon wasn't just hers, and felt nothing but cold, hard, demonic, endless hatred.

"Normally I don't knock," Lana spat back.

Elena got out of the bathtub in a rush, flashing in front of Lana. She didn't flinch. She didn't do anything but stay perfectly still.

"_Normally_?" Elena questioned.

"Elena," a dark-haired girl sitting beside the bathtub got up and stood behind Elena, ready to attack. The blonde one got up from the floor, too.

"Yes," Lana said, crossing her arms. "Normally."

"Who. Are. You?" Elena asked carefully. Lana looked into her eyes and saw nothing but jealously. _Good. _

She didn't know what to say, so she said, "I'm Lana."

"I didn't ask your name," Elena spat. "I asked who you are. What are you doing here?"

"Elena!" Caroline said. "Elena, calm down."

"I'm here because I need to speak with Damon," Lana answered. "Where is he?"

"Out," Elena answered.

"Out?"

"Out." Elena nodded. "How do you know Damon?"

"I can't tell you that." Lana had no control out of what came out of her mouth. None whatsoever. Elena's eyes burned red.

"What?" Bonnie asked, confused. "Why can't you tell us?"

"I can't tell you," Lana repeated. "I came here to talk to Damon."

"About what?"

"This afternoon." The vague answers weren't helping her, but Lana had no choice. She couldn't say anything more.

"What about this afternoon?" Caroline asked. Lana inhaled.

"I…can't tell you," she responded.

"Why the hell not?" Elena proposed.

"Elena, take it easy," Caroline instructed. Elena whipped around, her eyes burning red again. All Lana could see was Caroline's fear of Elena.

"No, I will _not _take it easy, Caroline, this girl knows Damon."

"Yeah, well, a lot of people _know _Damon, Elena, it's not a surprise," Caroline retorted. Lana had to admit, she was right.

"Wow, Caroline." Elena growled.

Caroline shrugged. "Say what you want about Ripper Stefan, Elena, but at least he wasn't a man-slut."

"So what exactly _was _it about him that made you jump right into bed with him as _soon _as you met him?" Elena propositioned.

"I'm sorry," Lana interrupted. "We _are _talking about the same Damon Salvatore, right?" she questioned.

Elena spun around. "Shut up," she told the girl.

"Elena!" Bonnie exclaimed. "What's the matter with you?"

"Damon has _always _been there when I needed him," Elena told Caroline, ignoring Bonnie's comment.

Caroline laughed. "Yeah, that's because he's hoping you'll sleep with him."

"She did," Lana claimed as Elena said, "Well maybe I did."

At the sound of Lana claiming that Elena slept with Damon, they all looked at the girl.

"What?" Bonnie exclaimed.

"How do _you _know?" Elena questioned, going up to the girl, getting so close that Lana actually became uncomfortable. Obviously, Elena wasn't a human.

"I…I…"

"Can't tell us?" Caroline proposed. Lana shook her head and stared at Elena.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she mumbled.

Elena growled and pinned the girl to the nearest wall. Both Caroline and Bonnie gasped.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Elena questioned. Lana struggled for breath. She couldn't breathe…Elena's hand was too tight around her neck.

She managed to choke out, "I…can't…tell…"

"Well, _start_," Elena growled, using the most compulsion she's used in forever. "Tell me who you are and how you know Damon."

Lana became a monotone. "I'm his girlfriend. We met at the college Halloween party."

Elena's hand, suddenly useless because of her shock, dropped the girl to the floor, causing her to fall and hit her head on something blunt. No one smelt any blood, but the girl was out cold. There were no more answers they could get out of her.

Elena's hands were shaking.

_"I'm his girlfriend." _

_"I'm his girlfriend." _

_"I'm his girlfriend." _

_"I'm his girlfriend." _

_"Girlfriend." _

_"Girlfriend." _

_"Girlfriend." _

_"Girlfriend." _

_"Girlfriend." _

"Elena?"

Someone snapped Elena out of her reverie. It was Caroline.

Elena didn't want to talk to her. She didn't want to talk to _anyone_. She sped away from Damon's bedroom, going downstairs.

Where everything was about to change.

* * *

She couldn't remember when, but Lana woke up in Damon's bathroom, her face down on the tile and a bump on her head. She felt the throbbing from the wound and tried to make it feel better. Eventually, she got up the memory to remember what happened. But all she could remember was Elena pinning her to the wall and then…nothing.

_Elena_, Lana thought viciously. Some part of her was afraid – Elena was scary when it came to Damon.

She wondered if Damon felt the same way.

Quickly, Lana realized it was time to get out of there. She looked around the corners, carefully, and eventually realized that Elena was not there. Lana began to panic, thinking that Elena went to Damon and told him what she knew. But she couldn't remember telling Elena anything that would make Damon angry besides her knowing that they slept together.

And, after all, she wanted him to know. She was going to tell him before Elena-the-Bitch was in his bathtub, instead.

She didn't know what time she made it home, but it was getting light out. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to take a nice hot shower or soak in a hot bath. Her throat ached from Elena's grip and she still felt like she couldn't breathe.

Finally, she got to her dorm and entered her room. She was too lazy, too tired, to drained to bother looking around before someone emerged from the shadows.

"Ah!" she screamed, jumping when Damon turned on the lights and came out of the dark. He smiled, chuckling, just as her heart rate came down from its spike. She took in a deep breath. "Damon…" she breathed out. "I've been looking for you."

"Sorry," he told her. "I went to Louisiana," he told her. "And I learned something interesting."

She smiled. "Oh yeah?" she proposed. "What's that?"

"That you met my brother the other night and told him you knew me."

Her face fell from the smile. His face was not smiling, nor, she realized, had he smiled since she walked into the room.

"Damon…"

He sped over to her and she flinched. She hated it when _he _did that. "You told him you knew me. Why the _fuck _would you do that?"

"Damon…"

"And he said you were hanging out with Matt?" he yelled. "Did you tell Matt, too? Oh, and let me not forget the best part, I'm pretty sure Stefan said that Matt likes you and that he's thinking of asking you out." Damon chuckled. "Mutt. Asking you out. Why would he think something like that?" Damon paused. "Because you couldn't stop slutting around for two minutes—"

"ME?" she yelled, now angry. "Me? You're telling _me _I'm the one who's cheating? You're telling _me_ I'm the one who's slutting around with men?" She seethed so hard, she was going to combust. Damon's face fell. "When you're the one in love with Miss Elena the _Slut _herself!"

Maybe she expected it. Maybe she didn't expect it. Maybe he knew he was going to do it from the minute she walked in the door. Maybe he didn't know he was going to do it at all.

It didn't matter, because his palm connected with her face, and she felt that rush of memory float back to her. Peter slapping her until she got knocked down on her knees.

The memories collided. When Damon's hand slapped her cheek, she fell to the floor from weakened knees and the hard blow from a vampire, clutching her face. The burning wouldn't stop, though, and it was more than ten times the pain of Peter's slap. She began to cry, extra hard this time. The burning wouldn't stop. The burning wouldn't stop. The burning wouldn't stop.

"I saw you!" she hissed through her tears. "I saw you. I saw you. I saw you."

"You saw me _what_?" he asked. She couldn't hear if his voice had concern or venom in it.

"I saw you with her," she cried. "I saw…I saw you…and Elena…the night of the pageant…in your bedroom...and…I don't…and…I can't…" She was crying so hard now, the rest of the words jumbled together.

Damon dropped to his knees, realizing what she saw. He looked at her, crying, tears spilling down her cheeks rapidly and falling to the floor effortlessly.

_She saw me. She saw me…and Elena…when we were…_

"Oh my God," he whispered, putting his hand over his mouth in pure horror of what he'd done. "Oh my God, what did I do?"

She was still crying. His voice was muffled in her head.

He wrapped his arms around her body and she tried to push away. Eventually, her attempts failed and she relaxed, becoming limp. Her tears soaked through his shirt, but it didn't matter to him. He wasn't able to think of the horror he caused her, intentional or unintentional.

After a few minutes, he pulled her face up so she could look into his eyes. Her eyes were swollen, but the tears had slowed a lot. He sighed.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he said honestly. She shook her head.

"But you did," she told him. "More than you can ever know."

"I told you that I loved her," he said quietly. "I told you that."

She paused. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" she proposed. He didn't know what to say to it. She pushed away from him and he let her. She leaned against the foot of her bed and choked on her tears.

"I remember it all," she told him. He could see the pain on her face. "I see it, Damon, every time I close my eyes. I can still hear…I can still…."

"Shh," he hushed her, and brought his arms to her embrace. "Shh. Don't talk, please."

His compulsion worked. She stopped talking, but the sounds of her tears continued through her throat. He inhaled. He knew what he had to do.

So, slowly, he began to compel her. "You don't remember walking in on me and Elena," he told her. Suddenly, her tears soft, and she became quiet. Damon brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "You don't remember hearing us and you don't remember seeing us. All you remember is that I wasn't home and you went to the Grill to see Matt." He paused, waiting for her response. She answered with pure clarity.

"I don't remember anything about you and Elena," she said in a strict monotone. "All I remember is that you weren't home and I went to the Grill and saw Matt."

"Now you're going to forget what I just did to you right now," he told her, wiping a stray tear from her face. "You won't remember this conversation."

"I won't remember this conversation," she agreed.

"I'm going to walk out," he told her. "And I'm going to leave."

"Okay." She sighed. He pulled her up onto her feet and he nodded. He leaned forward and pressed a soft, subtle kiss on her mouth.

And the next moment, he was gone, and she remembered – felt – absolutely nothing but the burn on her cheek.

* * *

Damon walked into the Salvatore home, seeing Elena putting away spare things that she and her friends had obviously messed around with. She sighed and spoke when he walked in.

"Hey," she said in a boredom tone.

"Hey back," he said. He leaned against the threshold and crossed his arms. His heart was pounding and he felt like he was going to combust. _Two in one day, _he said. _How did this get so screwed up_?

"How was your night?" Elena asked. He could sense a bittersweet tone in her voice.

"Awful," Damon answered. "Yours?"

She inhaled. "Your _girlfriend _stopped by." Elena let out a long sigh. "So, that was just amazing. Oh, and after that, Caroline got kidnapped by hybrids."

"My girlfriend?" Damon asked, confused. Elena bit her lip.

"The girl," Elena said. "I think she said her name was Alana…"

Damon exhaled. His heart broke in two again.

"Lana," someone corrected. Damon's head turned to see Lana emerge from the hallway, a grim look on her face. Damon could see Elena tense and he turned to Lana.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. She gulped.

"I needed to apologize," she said carefully. "About yesterday afternoon." She paused. "I'm _so _sorry Damon. I was wrong to say that. I-I…" she trailed off and looked at Elena, who was standing in the living room. "I know you love _her_ and I know I'm not your first choice. I shouldn't have brought Jackson."

"We don't have to talk about this now," he pleaded and reached out to grab her hand. He felt his heart break a little bit more, knowing what he knew, but knowing she didn't know. "I'll see you later." He was done trying to hide her, so he didn't bother doing or saying anything that would protect Lana from Elena.

"That's it?" Elena shrugged and spoke loudly. "I'll see you later? You didn't bother to tell me you're in love with someone else?"

Damon gulped. "I…"

"I want the truth," she told him and walked over to him. "I want you to tell me the truth, Damon, is she your girlfriend or not?"

Damon couldn't do anything but nod. It was easier to explain than anything, because he knew Elena would be more upset if he called her his blood bag.

"Elena…" he trailed off. "We need to talk."

"I know that I'm sired to you, Damon," she cut him off. He paused in his steps. _She…knew? _

"Caroline told me. That's what you and Stefan were doing, isn't it?" she asked. "Is there a way to break it?"

"Not exactly." He paused. "This is why we need to talk."

She moved closer to him and began to say something. He didn't want to hear it, and he shut his mind off from it. He felt Lana's presence behind him and sighed inwardly. Maybe he could run off with her. Or maybe he could just leave her, compel her to forget, and let her move on with her life.

Maybe he would just…kill her.

"My feelings for you haven't changed, Damon, nothing's changed!"

"Everything has _changed, _Elena."

"Okay, fine, yeah," she gave in. "_I've _changed. So have you, Damon, and I'm happy. Just like you were yesterday morning before we knew about any of this."

"You know what would make me happy? To know that this _entire _time that I've been completely in love with you that what you actually felt for me _was real_." He emphasized the last words. Because it wasn't real. None of it was.

"It is real. I know that it is. Damon, I know what you're about to do, Damon, please. Don't do this to me!"

"I don't want to _do _this, Elena," he said, appalled that she would think something like that. "I'm not the _good guy, _Elena. I'm the selfish one. I do what I want! I lie to my brother, I fall in love with his girl – I don't do the right thing!" He paused. "But I have to do the right thing by _you_."

She grabbed his hand and put it on her heart. Lana flinched and began to walk closer as Elena continued.

"Does this feel wrong?" she questioned. He said nothing. Lana walked closer. Elena put her hand on his face and said, "Does this feel wrong?"

He said nothing once more. Lana stepped between them and their interlocked bodies. Damon's head turned slowly towards her. She sighed and he slipped away from Elena's grasp, but it was so gentle that Elena knew it wasn't for long. He walked over to Lana and gripped her hands. She looked down at them.

"Damon," she said carefully. "There's something I need to tell you…"

"Lana," he told her gently. She didn't say anything else because she was now under his compulsion. His hand moved up to her face to play with the ends of her hair before he leaned forward and kissed her gently. Beside him, Elena cringed, but said nothing. When he pulled away, she began to speak.

"Damon—"

"You're not going to remember who I am," Damon told her. His fingertips were still playing with her hair. "You're going to get into your car, drive away, and not remember where you were. You won't remember this place, me, or anything that has to do with me." He paused. "You're going to forget all the time we spent together and what we did. When your friends ask you what happened, specifically with the name Damon, you're going to say that we broke up, but you will not remember who I am."

"I will not remember who you are." He swore her voice was melancholic.

"If they ask why you say that I left town," he told her. "Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"If anyone asks where you were, you were getting something to eat."

"I was getting something to eat."

"Now you're going to walk out that door," he instructed, "and never speak to me or see me again."

"I will walk out that door and never speak to you or see you again."

Elena watched as Damon kissed her once more and grabbed her phone. Quickly, he deleted his contact information and put it back in her purse.

"Goodbye," he told her. She nodded.

"Goodbye." A look of confusion crossed her face before she turned and left the boarding house. Damon turned to Elena, who inhaled deeply, and they looked at each other, thinking the unspoken words between them.

* * *

**A/N: Really, really, really long and melancholic chapter! Tell me if you cried! What did you think Lana was going to say to Damon before he told her to forget?**

**I'll try and upload soon, but not tonight, because I don't think **NicoleSalvatore1918 **has the mid-season finale of TVD on her television…and I need that to do the chapter…**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	13. XIII

**A/N: Thank you guys for the amazingly kind reviews! I cry when I read them! It's great to have such nice supporters! I appreciate the reviews, follows, and favorites! **

**So, I'm OBVIOUSLY not going to tell you what Lana was going to say to Damon before she got compelled to forget, but I will tell you this: I ****_will _****tell you what she was going to say. I'm not sure if I want to keep it a surprise until the season finale or something, but we'll wait and see. It's not going to be for another chapter or two. **

**So…it's the season finale: O' Come, O' Ye Faithful. What do ****_you _****think is going to happen? Well? Scroll down and read! **

**Going to stop blabbing now! Enjoy the chapter…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or anything within the show. But what I do own is the characters, the writing, and the plotline. Oh, and I hope you guys like the new story cover!**

* * *

**_XIII_**

It was a beautiful day – scratch that – a _gorgeous _day outside her dorm room.

But, something inside of her wouldn't let her enjoy the glowing sunshine.

Lana sat on her bed, watching a show on the television, partially into the TV and partially out of it. Hannah watched her from her side of the room as she brushed her hair and got ready to go outside for a picnic with their friends.

"Lana?" Hannah asked her. "Are you going to get ready?"

Lana looked up from the television. She was still in her pajamas, as she didn't feel like getting out of him.

But she didn't know why.

"I was thinking about not going," Lana said. "I'm just really tired." It was the best excuse she could come up with – for herself _and _for her friend.

"You have to!" Hannah said and walked over to Lana's bed. "Is this about Damon?"

_Damon, _Lana thought with a certain familiarity. She didn't know who this was, she didn't know what had happened, but she didn't ask questions. She only responded, "No."

"Then what is it?" Hannah asked. Lana yawned and smiled.

"I'm _tired,_" she told her best friend. Hannah frowned and threw the covers off of Lana's body.

"Get dressed."

* * *

"Does it hurt?"

Damon blinked at her from across the bed. He sighed carefully.

"A little," he told her honestly. She inhaled. Damon thought she would ask him why he didn't tell her again, but she had seemed to have given up on that question. He had made sure he kept his real relationship, the blood one, private from his love.

She paused. "Do you love her?"

How could he answer that, being as the girl asking him that question was the one and only one he _truly _loved, without a doubt? With Lana, there was a doubt. A million doubts.

He may have doubts, but he…cared. On some level.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But…Elena…it's hard to understand—"

"Damon—"

"I can never love anyone as much as I love you," he told her. His heart broke at the expression she made. Her face turned down and she didn't say anything back, but he didn't need her to. She just inhaled softly and smiled.

"What do we do now?" she asked quietly. He sighed and swung his feet off the bed.

"I should've made you leave," he told her carefully. Damon felt his heart being ripped in two when she had tried to get into bed with him. She had won, but not in that way. Deciding to put an extra amusing spin on it, he said, "Sent you packing." Elena shot straight up in the bed and stared at Damon. "I promised Stefan," he explained.

"I know," she said. He didn't give her a chance to say anything else. He was already in a bad mood. Defying his brother, sleeping with his girl, now on a level _abusing _the sire bond in a way.

"You're sired to me, Elena." He took off his shirt, feeling her eyes roll over his chest. At this point, he could care less, although he wanted her badly. Quickly, he found another shirt and began to put it on. "Which means everything that you think you feel might not even be _real_." He slipped the shirt over his head.

"I know, Damon!" she said. "But…it _feels _real."

_OF COURSE IT DOES! _He wanted to shout. _BECAUSE YOU'RE SIRED TO ME, ELENA! _

Could you blame him for being angry? After all, the girl he'd held his heart for gave into him, and he found out it was all a big joke on him.

She got off the bed and walked over to him. "And I'm not ready to let go of that," she said honestly. Damon only stared.

"Well I can make you," he told her. For some reason, he was trying to drive all the women in his heart away from him.

And his heart _still _ached from the last one, even though his real heartache was standing in front of him this very moment.

"Evoke the sire bond," he continued. She glared at him, unwilling. Maybe she was daring him.

"So do it," she said. _Definitely daring, _he thought. He looked at her with confusion. "You did it to her," she said softly. "Now do it to me."

"Don't bring her into this, Elena," he raged. "She's not up for discussion."

"Well I want to discuss it!"

"Too bad!" he exclaimed.

"Come on, Damon, you want to break the sire bond?" she challenged. "Let me go. I can _guarantee _you I will still feel the same way." She paused. "Do it," she dared.

They stared at each other for a moment, her eyes daring and his eyes bewildered. Finally, he sighed. "I told him I would set you free." It almost came out as a whine. "Right after I _didn't _tell him that we slept together," he added.

"So what do you want to do?" she proposed.

He stepped closer, feeling something bubble up inside of him. Maybe it was the anger, maybe it was the rage, or maybe it was the compassion. Whatever it was, it made him threaten, "I want to throw you back in my bed and never let you leave," he said. The words sounded sour coming from  
his mouth, but Elena's mouth opened when Damon stepped nearly two inches before her lips. He could feel her release and her hormones kick in. It almost made him smile.

"So do it," she whispered. She swallowed and he stared into her eyes. Their mouths were close, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't kiss her. He couldn't….he couldn't…he couldn't…

The phone rang, interrupting their almost-kiss, and Damon mentally sighed.

"Saved by the cell phone," he joked. She smiled and reached into her pocket to whip out her phone.

"I have to meet Bonnie," Elena explained. "She's teaching Jeremy how _not _to kill me."

Elena grabbed her things by the bed post and turned around to Damon.

"Want to come?"

* * *

The sun enveloped around her, soaking through her warm skin, but it wasn't possible for her to get a tan – with the fair, sun-shielded skin she had. She wasn't enjoying herself. She wasn't having fun. She wasn't laughing. She wasn't smiling.

She looked like a girl who had her heart broken.

Yet, she hadn't had her heart broken, had she?

"Lana?" someone called to her. Lana whipped around from walking on the sidewalk with her hands in her skinny-jean pockets. Her hair flew in different directions from the wind, some getting into her mouth. Lana took the chocolate hair out of her mouth, as tasty as it was, and smiled as she saw Jackson coming over to her. He smiled at her, too, as he ran up to her. "Hey. How are you doing?"

"Fine," she said. "Why?"

"Well…I heard…"

"Heard what?" she asked, confused.

"About you and your boyfriend," he continued.

"My…boyfriend?" she asked, still confused. She didn't have a boyfriend.

"Yeah…that Damon guy?"

"Oh," she said. "I'm fine."

"Really?" he asked. "You don't…_look _fine."

She smiled and laughed. Suddenly, she felt better. "Thanks, Jackson, that's always what a girl wants to hear."

He hung his head, partially ashamed. "No…I meant…"

"I know what you meant," she told him, smiling. "I'm fine, Jackson, really."

"Really?"

"Really," she told him. "Perfectly fine."

Maybe she was fine, after all. It just took her heart to get used to it.

Hannah ran over to her friends and smiled as she watched Lana and Jackson talking. Lana was smiling, laughing, and Jackson was running his hands through her hair. She hated to be an intruder, but she wanted to see how things were going.

"Hey," she said when she approached them. "How's it going?"

"Good," they responded, and Lana laughed, beginning a story about what Jackson was telling her. Jackson launched into the full story, and Hannah had to laugh. But she looked at Lana and felt a smile overcome her face with joy. She always knew Jackson was the perfect choice.

"Hey, guys!" someone called. It was Nicole, Hannah and Lana's friend. Once she ran over, she panted, "Guess what?"

"What?" they chorused.

"My sister is going to that Christmas Party in Mystic Falls where I grew up," Nicole explained. "And she's inviting all of us." Nicole paused while everyone waited for the punch line. "Want to come?"

"Mystic Falls…" Hannah trailed off, remembering that was the place Damon Salvatore lived. "Um…no…I don't think so—"

"No!" Lana interrupted. "Nicole, we'd _love _to come!" Lana smiled. "Won't it be fun?" she prompted. Hannah stared blankly at her best friend, but decided that Lana had never been this happy. She wondered if she was going to go because of Damon.

"Sure…" Hannah smiled at Nicole and turned to Lana. "Lan? Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure," Lana said, and skipped merrily over with Hannah down the sidewalk.

"Are you okay to go to this party?" Hannah asked. "With Damon and all?"

"Damon?" Lana asked, confused. "Why would I care about him?"

"He's lives in Mystic Falls."

"Really?" Lana exclaimed. Hannah raised her eyebrow.

"Yes…"

"Oh, well." Lana waved her hand. "I can't let him rule my life forever, right? I mean, we _did _break up." Lana wasn't even aware of the words that escaped her mouth. Instead, she turned and ran over to Jackson.

"Mystic Falls is a _freaky _town," Jackson laughed. Lana laughed with him.

"Hey, Jackson, will you be my date to the party?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. Jackson looked like he was about to roll over.

"S-Seriously?" he asked. "After last time…? Is this about Damon again?"

_Why does _everyone _think I'm going for this Damon character? _Lana thought to herself, but said aloud, "No, Jackson, I just want to go because I think it will be fun. Damon and I broke up."

"I know."

"Good," she responded. "So you'll go with me?"

"Sure." He shrugged. "Why not?"

"Great!" Lana exclaimed. Nicole smiled.

"We can go now," she said quickly. "It's only a twenty minutes away and they're going all day," she said. Lana gasped.

"That's perfect!" she said. "Can I go in this?" she asked. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah," Nicole said. "Guys!" she yelled to everyone else. "Come on!"

They all made arrangements with Nicole and jumped carpooling cars to go to Mystic Falls on the gorgeous and beautiful December day.

* * *

Stefan Salvatore stood at on the concrete wall, one leg propped against it. So far, it was not a good day for him.

The stunning, beautiful Caroline walked up to him and smiled. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," he responded. She sighed.

"Did you find the sword?" she asked hopefully. He shook his head in the most amusing way.

"Nope." He popped his "P".

She exhaled. "Well what are we going to do now?" she asked.

Stefan sighed. "Klaus is the only shot we have of finding the Cure; we _need _him. We have to get Tyler to call it off."

"Well _that's _not going to happen," someone responded. Tyler stood on the steps, watching as his girlfriend and a vampire conversed. Stefan spun around and Tyler grimaced. "You _told _him?" he directed towards Caroline. She didn't say anything. "I've had twelve hybrids sworn to secrecy for a _month_. I have Haley and a witch risking their lives and you're blabbing my plan to him?"

Stefan intervened. "Look, all I'm asking you for is a little bit of time, okay?"

"How long?" Tyler commanded. "An hour? A day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, _they're _at risk." Tyler continued, "Klaus already served up one of them for Jeremy to kill!" Tyler looked over Stefan's shoulder to Caroline, who shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see Tyler mad. Tyler turned back to Stefan. "I don't owe you anything." He turned to walk away. "I'm taking him out."

Stefan used his vampire speed to race in front of Tyler. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that," Stefan said. Always the compassionate one.

"Stefan?" Caroline asked.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded. "But I can't."

"Stefan!" she exclaimed. Stefan turned behind him to see a dozen hybrids looking down upon him, their eyes full of venom. Stefan gulped. They were surrounded.

"Sorry," Tyler said. "But you don't have a choice."

Stefan gulped.

"Excuse me!" someone laughed and brushed past all the hybrids. They tensed, but it was only a mere human. A girl.

She stopped on the top of the stairs. A drink was in her hand, she was smiling, laughing, and all alone. All the hybrids and vampires looked up at her. She laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I thought this was the way to—" Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. "It's…It's you."

Stefan tilted his head. "Excuse me?"

"It's…It's you," she told him. "Stefan….Stefan…Stefan…." she managed to choke out, "Stefan Salvatore."

He looked at her with tense eyes, and suddenly, he realized who she was. He let the words escape his mouth, "Lana?"

* * *

**A/N: How do you think she remembers? Does she remember Damon? Sorry, but no. I'll tell you that. But, she does remember Stefan! **

**What do you think is going to happen next? Click the little bubble with ****_Review _****next to it and tell me! **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	14. XIV

**A/N: I'm sorry I left you all with that cliffhanger! I know a lot of you got semi-mad with me! *SMILE!* because I'm back with the chapter. **

**And you're going to hate me again at the end. I think this is going to be for the rest of O' Come O' Ye Faithful…but we'll just see where it goes!**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GENEROUS REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Seriously, you ROCK!**

**Now onto the story…enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own ****_one bit _****of TVD, but I own the story, writing, plotline, and characters!**

* * *

**_XIV_**

"Ugh!" Caroline groaned. "This is _ridiculous!" _she complained. "We are not hostages."

"What's going on?" the girl in the background, the mere human, whined. Stefan walked over to her.

"It'll be all right," he said sweetly and turned to the hybrids. "She's only human! Let her go," Stefan demanded.

"It's easier if we just keep her," a dark-haired hybrid said snarkily. "Besides, she'll keep you company if you get hungry."

"What's going on?" the girl repeated, confused. "I need to get up to the party…my friends…" She turned to Stefan. "Stefan… I don't understand what's going on." She paused. "_How _do I know you?"

She had been asking the question for the last couple minutes. All Lana remembered was Stefan, his face, and vaguely Matt. Although, she did not remember anything else, specifically Damon Salvatore, as she was instructed not to. Something, though, must've slipped past her when the compulsion was being done, for she remembered the other Salvatore's face.

Stefan sensed the strong fishy smell of compulsion in the air when she had asked him how she knew him.

"Shut up," the dark-haired hybrid responded. Immediately, as if she were afraid, the girl shut up. Stefan could only comfort her with his words.

Suddenly, Stefan's phone rang. He reached into his pocket and said to the room of anxious, angry, threatening hybrids, "Relax." He instructed slowly, pronouncing every word. "It's my brother." They watched as he took his phone out and pressed the green button.

"What's up?" he said into the earpiece, turning around slowly.

"Don't ask how," Damon breathed. "Or why. Or _who_. But just found the answer to your Tyler problem."

"You're kidding." Stefan almost laughed. Instantly, he hung up and turned to the malicious hybrids and spoke clearly. A look of concern flashed across Caroline's face.

"We don't need the sword," he said slowly.

* * *

They had let them go, but Stefan wasn't letting Lana out of his sight. He took her hand in his and walked with her out of the cellar and directed them to the Mystic Falls party.

She stopped in the middle of the forest.

"I don't…" she choked on her own words. "I don't know what's going on…."

"Shh," he hushed her eagerly. "It'll be okay. I just need to take you to someone and we'll get this all figured out. Do you trust me?"

"What was going on back there?"

"Nothing," Stefan responded, lying.

"_Nothing_?" she exclaimed. "A room full of scary people just basically kidnapped me and now you're taking me to go see some mysterious person?" she screeched, panicked. He hushed her again and gripped her hands.

"I need you to trust me," he said carefully, maybe throwing in a little compulsion. He didn't know if the compulsion had an effect, but she didn't respond, so he said again, "Do you trust me?"

She paused, but slowly nodded. "I want to go home," she whined. He nodded.

"I'll take you home," he promised. "After we meet this person."

She was hesitant, but he maybe cheated with the compulsion. She nodded and he gripped her hand harder, not hard enough to hurt her, but hard enough to make sure she didn't run away.

They arrived at the Mystic Falls party, a little away from the central of things for anyone to really see his special guest. Stefan and Lana walked up to Klaus, who was attending the party in a suit, one that did look nonetheless but dashing on him. Klaus's smile turned up as he saw Stefan's party guest beside him.

"Ah, Stefan." Klaus feigned a smile. "Moving on already?"

Stefan winced slightly and Lana partially stood behind Stefan, basically being protected by the shield that was his body.

"She doesn't like me, much," Klaus noted and then looked at Stefan. "Where have you been all day?"

"I've been around," Stefan replied. Lana gripped his hand tighter. She didn't like the look on this man's face.

"I'm not interested in _vaguery, _Stefan," Klaus retorted. "You've been dodging, Caroline's been lovely, which I've come to recognize as a tool of distraction." _Damn, _Stefan thought. _I really hoped that worked. _"Now," Klaus continued. "Do you have something to share with me?" He paused. "Or shall I compel it out of you?"

"What's—" Lana began, but got interrupted by Stefan's harsh voice.

"Don't ask questions," Stefan instructed her. "Actually, Klaus." He turned to the Original vampire. "That's exactly why I'm here."

* * *

They found a quiet place, somewhere where no one could find them and somewhere within the limits to where they would not be far from the beautiful Christmas party. Klaus paced back and forth while Stefan sat the girl up on a rock. Her face was bewildered.

"What's going on?" she pleaded. "Please, tell me," she said.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he compelled her. Her mouth closed instantly and she said not a word. Klaus looked at Stefan.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Klaus asked. "Compel this out of her?"

"Will it work?" Stefan asked briskly. Klaus nodded, but laughed.

"I'm an Original," he gloated. "Of course it'll work."

Stefan nodded. "Then yes," he said and paused. "I have a feeling my brother's behind this."

Klaus gave a look of confusion. "Why would you say that?"

Stefan glared at the vampire. "I don't know," Stefan said honestly. "But we'll find out." He gestured towards Lana. "Will you do it?"

"You've already told me what I wanted to know," Klaus said. "So, yes, Stefan, I will do it."

"Thank you," Stefan managed to choke out. Klaus said nothing in return but step forward and bend down to the girl on the rock, straight and silent as a mouse. She tensed once Klaus stepped in front of her.

"There's no need to be afraid," Klaus said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She shuddered. "I'm here to help you." Here came the major compulsion. "Tell me what I want to know," he instructed. "I want you to remember anything and everything that someone compelled you to forget." He paused. "Remember…" he whispered, partially hissing.

Lana gasped, as if she had just come up from under water and had caught a breath of air.

"Damon…" she whispered. "Damon…He…He…He…"

Stefan stepped closer.

"What did he do?" Stefan asked abruptly. Klaus put his hand in Stefan's face, a signal to back off. Klaus turned back to Lana, who was gasping, crying, and shaking, afraid.

"What did Damon Salvatore do?" Klaus asked, compelling her. She answered in a monotone.

"Damon Salvatore abused me," she said with a bland voice. "He's a vampire. He drank from me, he slapped me, he had sex with me, and he yelled at me." She paused. "Constantly."

Stefan had to shut his own mouth from dropping to the floor. He knew Damon was bad…he knew Damon was unpredictable…but Damon was his brother.

Would Damon really do something like that?

"What else?"

"He told me he could never love me as much as he loved Elena. I ran into Elena. She almost killed me. He compelled me to forget all about him with Elena standing next to him." She paused. "Just before I was about to tell him—"

"Stop!" Stefan commanded. Klaus whispered the command to Lana and she stopped, mid-sentence. Stefan was shaking. The girl's mouth closed instantly and she said nothing more. Klaus got up from bending and turned around to face Stefan. Stefan was shaking his head. "Damon…Damon couldn't do that…he couldn't…hurt someone…not after…"

Klaus laid a reassuring hand on his mate's shoulder. "Stefan…" he trailed off. Stefan shook Klaus's hand off of his shoulder and looked at the poor girl standing in front of him.

"What do I do?" Stefan asked, exasperated. Klaus sighed.

"Do you want to tell Elena?" Klaus prompted. "Do you think she knows the truth?"

"I doubt it." Stefan sighed. "I didn't and he's my own brother."

"Maybe he did it because of you," Klaus offered. Stefan laughed.

"Yup," Stefan agreed. "Actually, I'm sure that's the exact reason." He looked at the girl and muttered. "Ask her when it started."

Klaus compelled the girl once more. She responded, "At the Halloween party at my college."

Stefan bit on his lip. It was before Damon knew about the sire bond with Elena. Before _Elena _knew about her sire bond with Stefan. Stefan didn't know what to do.

Now, he had provable leverage on his brother. He could easily take this compulsion-filled girl and tell her to tell Elena what she knew. He could convince Elena that _he _was the right Salvatore for her. He could convince Elena that Damon was a bad person.

But Stefan didn't _believe_, with all his heart, that Damon was a bad person. Not before now.

He looked at the girl, who was sobbing, emotions raving with anger, guilt, and sadness. He didn't know what to do.

"Please," she whispered quietly. "What are you going to do to me? Damon already compelled me once." She looked up at Stefan. "I know you…from the Grill."

He nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah. You do."

Stefan sighed and turned to Klaus. "I know what I want to do."

* * *

_I know what you did. _

The words had stunned Damon, maybe to the point where his knees were weak. Nevertheless, Damon laughed nervously and added an amusing spin to it, like he always did. "I know, Stefan. I'm sorry. I didn't know it was _your _bunny!" Damon chuckled.

Stefan shook his head on the other line. "No, Damon. I know what you did."

_Fuck. _Damon thought. _He knows Elena and I slept together…_

"Listen—"

"How could you do that?" Stefan raved. "To an innocent? An innocent girl." _What? _"Gosh, Damon! I had thought you changed!"

"Stefan—"

"No!" Stefan silenced him. "For once, Damon, you're going to _listen _to me. You're not going to say another word until I'm done." He paused. "You _owe _it to me."

Damon gulped. "I'm listening."

"She saw me," Stefan told him, beginning his story. "She saw me and she recognized me."

"Who?" Damon asked. Stefan didn't notice his interruption.

"Don't play _games _with me, Damon," Stefan said through the phone. "Lana. The girl from the college."

Damon's heart broke at the name, but he suddenly realized what Stefan had remarked about. "What? That's impossible."

Stefan snickered bitterly. "Yeah? Well, it's possible. She remembered me. Maybe not where she saw me, but she remembered my name." Stefan paused. "I had Klaus compel her and tell me what she forgot."

Damon drew in a deep breath. "Stefan…"

"You did that!" Stefan said angrily. "You _abused _her Damon! A poor, innocent college girl. She did nothing wrong!"

"When do my victims do anything wrong?" Damon asked snarkily. "Stefan, this is none of your business."

"Why'd you compel her to forget?" Stefan proposed. "Why not kill her? Why did you let her go?"

Damon inhaled sharply. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," Stefan instructed.

Damon chuckled. "You already think I'm a monster who abused a girl."

"If you're implying you didn't abuse her—"

"I'm not implying that." It broke his heart that he abused her. She didn't deserve that.

"Then what are you implying?" Stefan asked.

Damon exhaled slowly and said, "I cared, Stefan." He paused. "I couldn't kill her because I _cared_."

Stefan was silent over the line. "You…cared?"

"I know you may not believe me," Damon said. "But I did."

Stefan took a minute to answer. "I wasn't going to tell Elena," he said finally. "I'm not going to tell Elena."

"You don't have to keep this a secret," Damon said. He looked at Elena laughing with her best friend and her brother. "She's hated me before."

"Well, there's no point in laying this on her with everything about the sire bond being broken," Stefan replied. He sighed. "So, I'll keep the secret. I'll let it go, Damon, but this time and this time only."

"Stefan…" He was about to thank his brother, but Stefan cut him off sharply.

"I have to go, Damon," he said. "Bye."

The line cut off instantly. _Great, _Damon thought. _Brother Dearest found out. _

He turned back to Elena and saw her stare at him. She beckoned him in, but he beckoned her out.

He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Lana returned home, tired and useless and worn out. Although, she was happy. She had a great time with her friends, but she didn't have a great time throwing up in the bathroom because she got food poisoning. That wasn't fun.

But the rest of the night was.

So, she skipped merrily, and tiredly, into her lonely room because Hannah had taken an invitation to sleep at Nicole's sister's house. Lana needed to sleep in her own bed tonight.

After she had gotten dressed, she was about to get ready to climb into bed when there was a knocking sound on the door. Her heart quickened as she walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. It was only a delivery guy.

…With flowers.

She opened the door and held it wide open. The delivery man smiled at her as he presented her with a bouquet of red roses, each the color of blood. She didn't know whether they were out of season or not, but they looked…expensive.

_Jackson, _she thought to herself. She signed the electronic screen and grabbed her vase of flowers. Lana shut the door and set the flowers on the desk by the door. Her fingers found a white crisp card in the center of the flower bouquet.

Lana opened the card, but she instantly realized it wasn't from Jackson.

In fact, she had _no _idea who they were from. All there was on the card was one soul letter that gave her the indication the beautiful bouquet was _not _from Jackson.

_-D_

* * *

**A/N: Sorry! Sorry! I'm going to get going on the next chapter, but if you don't have it tonight, you'll have it tomorrow! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Keep the reviews coming! **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	15. XV

**A/N: ****Just to be clear, Klaus and Stefan compelled Lana to forget about what they asked her AND about her and Damon's relationship. ****If you didn't catch that and want to read, go look at the bottom part of the last chapter and read EVERYTHING; even the little words. That's what tells you she was compelled. **

**So…moving on…enjoy! Midseason premiere!**

**Disclaimer: Based off of ****_After School Special. _****I own nothing in TVD, but I do own my characters, plotline, and writing. **

**FOUR MORE REVIEWS UNTIL 100! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! **

* * *

**_XV_**

Lana checked her phone, mindlessly refreshing her Twitter page, just because it was a reflex. She walked forward, looking up every couple seconds. Finally, she put her phone away, tugged on her jacket lightly, and walked into the Mystic Falls high school.

As soon as her phone was in her pocket, it rang. Lana groaned and pulled it out of her pocket. It was Hannah – so she very well had to answer it. "Hello?" Lana asked. She could hear Hannah's grin from across the line.

"I just wanted to thank you again," Hannah said. "My brother's been through a lot and my mom wanted me to take care of him for the weekend…"

"And you have a class in about ten minutes." Lana sighed. "Yes, Hannah. I know." Lana laughed slightly. "It's not a big deal."

"Really?"

"No, it's a big deal." Lana smiled. "_But, _you can repay me with a pedicure."

Hannah paused. "Deal," she said. "Lana…" she trailed off.

"You've got to go," Lana finished for her.

"Yeah. Sorry."

"It's fine," Lana insisted. "Bye."

"Bye," Hannah said before hanging up the phone. Lana put it away, grateful there wasn't another ring. She walked in through the double doors and continued down the hallway to the gymnasium, where she was instructed to go to pick up Hannah's little brother.

As she turned a corner, something came into view. She heard voices. A scared, timid voice asked, "Was that necessary?" in a stuttering tone.

Someone replied, and before Lana could stop herself, she was too late. She was already into view. She could see everything. A brunette-haired girl in a school girl's outfit, a beach blonde, and…a brunette haired, oddly _familiar _girl lying on the floor, either passed out or…or…

_Dead. _

Lana gasped, and the blonde didn't notice her until after she'd said the words, "No, but it was fun."

She tried to conceal herself, but the blonde had seen her already. The blonde took a deep breath. "Ugh," the girl said. "_Another _hostage."

Rebekah smiled. "This is going to be one _hell _of a party."

Lana tried to run, her feet carrying her wherever she could go. Luckily, she had nothing with her, so it made things easier for her to run. She looked behind her shoulder, but no one was coming out of the corridor.

But then she stopped, as if her body had sensed the other body in front of her. Instantly, when her hair whipped around, she was staring at a pair of ice-cold eyes and a smile stretched across the blonde haired girl's face. "Hello, there," she said carefully.

Lana's mouth quivered, and just before she was about to turn the other way, the blonde-haired vampire slammed her head into the locker with _just _enough strength to knock her out.

The last thing Lana remembered was her head hitting the ground and darkness surrounding her.

* * *

When Elena Gilbert awoke, things were in a haze. But, she'd been knocked out before and, it's adequate to say, this was a time where things refocused for her quickly, thanks to her superhuman powers. She was in the library of the school, she realized. Her head hurt and her neck had a knot in it, but she remembered everything up to the point of Rebekah snapping her neck and her vision going out.

Before Elena could see April, who walked in front of her, she saw a girl, propped up against the bookshelf, blood oozing out of the side of her head. Elena licked her lips carefully and felt her fangs tip at her mouth. She wasn't even paying attention to who the girl was.

She quickly turned her attention to April.

"The assembly's over," April remarked. Elena didn't care.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked roughly, getting up from the floor. April ignored her question.

"The school will be empty soon," April informed, but then continued with a wretched voice. "How many times did you compel me?" she asked accusingly.

Elena stared. April cut her off from saying anything else.

"Don't, just—don't lie." She paused. "Rebekah says you lie."

Elena realized what game Rebekah was playing, so she said slowly, "Rebekah's not who you think she is, April."

April glared at her and laughed slightly. "What?" she proposed. "She's not a thousand year old Original vampire?"

"Listen," Elena urged and reached forward to grab April. "We can figure this out, but we have to get out of here."

Surprisingly, April didn't fight back. Elena pulled her over to another bookshelf, momentarily forgetting about the human girl behind her.

But, unfortunately, escaping wouldn't be that easy, would it?

Rebekah appeared in front of them, a smile gleaming across her face. "Sorry," she apologized with a sour tone. "Not allowed."

Rebekah stepped forward, and Elena knew what was about to happen.

Sure enough, it did.

Rebekah compelled Elena, "Why don't you take a seat?" she asked kindly. "The rest of the class will be here shortly."

Elena could do nothing but oblige.

* * *

Stefan answered angrily, not in the mood. "What?"

"Guess who?" someone piped from across the line. His heart stopped. "I'm back, dagger-free, _and _holding Elena and some innocent human hostage at the high school." Rebekah paused. "Just thought you should know," she added carelessly.

"Who the hell was dumb enough to pull that dagger out of you?" Stefan asked curiously.

"I'll be asking the questions today," Rebekah retorted. "See you soon."

She hung up, leaving Stefan hanging across the line.

_Some innocent human_, he thought sourly. He sighed and drowned his drink before calling Caroline and getting up out of his seat. She answered with a snarky comment, but he didn't catch it.

Stefan smiled, completely ignoring her comment. "How would you like to drive a White Oak stake through Rebekah's heart?" he proposed as he walked out of the Grill.

He could hear Caroline's grin through the phone. "If it means not drinking your way through the Mystic Grill, _sure_."

He walked out and told Caroline where to meet him.

* * *

Lana awoke, only to find herself hunched over a chair in a classroom. She shot forward, only to find that her head pounded so hard, it might've knocked her unconscious again. She winced so hard, she put her head in her hands.

When the pain was over, she removed her hands from her face to find they were covered in blood. She tried to remember what happened, and she remembered up to getting her head slammed into a locker door.

"Oh, seriously?" Elena groaned as Lana showed her face. Elena's sickened face was directed towards _her, _but Lana didn't know this girl. Elena turned to April. "_Her_? Why is it _always _HER?"

"Calm down, Elena," Caroline commanded. Elena shot her best friend a glare.

"What?" Lana whispered; her throat hoarse from not talking. Elena groaned, but could say nothing more as the door swung open, revealing their captor and Stefan Salvatore. Elena turned around and let out a sigh of relief.

"Stefan," she said, getting up from her chair. Rebekah shot back.

"Did I say you could move?" she yelled. Elena sat back in her chair, under the compulsion's spell. Stefan stopped in his tracks and Rebekah turned to him, considering asking what was wrong. But Stefan's eyes were locked on Lana's, who showed great fear.

"Her?" Stefan whispered to Rebekah. "Not her."

"Elena?" Rebekah questioned. "I told you—"

"Not _Elena_," Stefan cut her off. "The girl. The human. Lana."

Rebekah's eyes turned towards the timid girl sitting next to April. Suddenly, her face turned up in a grin and she directed Stefan towards a seat next to the human girl. As Stefan tried to comfort the girl, who had no recollection or memory of who Stefan was, Rebekah continued to talk. "Class is in session. You've all been compelled. You know the rules." She paused and walked around the circle. "Answer my questions honestly. No disobedience. No one leaves."

"Please," the girl said. "I have nothing to do with this! Just let me—"

"Don't talk," Rebekah instructed, compelling the girl. She winced and stayed silent.

"Just let her go," Stefan commanded. Elena gave him a confused glare.

"Why do _you _care, Stefan?" Elena questioned. Rebekah looked back and forth between the lovers, having a nice lover's spat.

But it didn't _seem _like a lover's spat.

"Because," Stefan said vaguely. "She's human."

"Never stopped you before," Rebekah said and walked to Stefan. "I _am _curious, Stefan." She paused to compel him. "Why do you care?"

He sighed, giving into the compulsion. "Damon was with her, compelled her, I found out, had Klaus re-compel the compulsion, and then compel her to forget everything and move on with her life," Stefan explained.

"I don't understand," Lana whined. "I don't know what compulsion is! I don't know who you people are!" she argued. "I'm just here to pick up my friend's little brother!"

Rebekah listened to her pleas, but decided against letting the girl go. She was interested in what the elder Salvatore was doing with his time.

Rebekah leaned in close and compelled the girl. "Remember what _everyone_ made you forget."

In a snap, Lana's face turned from scared, to dark, to angry. Elena stiffened as the girl quivered in her seat. Her head whipped around until she finally met Stefan's eyes and her body relaxed.

"Stefan!" the girl exclaimed, sighing. She threw her arms around the Salvatore, making Elena tense harder and brace for an attack. Elena knew she shouldn't be caring, but she still cared for Stefan.

And yes, this girl was making her jealous. Both of the Salvatores in one week?

"Shh," Stefan hushed her cries. "Shh. It'll be okay."

"That's enough," Rebekah peeled the girl off of the younger Salvatore. Elena snorted.

"So you've gone for another human, huh, Stefan?" Elena remarked. "How nice it is to know I'm not the only human you fell in love with."

"You know what your problem is, Elena—" Stefan started, but didn't get to finish. Rebekah silenced them both and looked to the girl. Compelling her, Rebekah smiled.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked.

Lana shook her head, but answered, "Damon and Elena slept together," she said, and gave a sour look to Elena. "_That _much I know."

Caroline sighed. "They broke up, okay?"

Elena's eyes hovered over Stefan, who showed no surprise on his face. "Stefan…" she trailed off once Rebekah had asked Stefan how he felt and he said nothing.

"I knew," Stefan said slowly. Elena tensed.

"What?"

"I knew," Stefan said again. Rebekah couldn't help but laugh. She went over to Elena and compelled her.

"After all this time," Rebekah remarked. "What made you switch brothers?"

Elena inhaled, but Caroline answered.

"She's sired to Damon," Caroline said, matter-of-factly. "She might think it's feelings, but it's just her sire bond."

"Caroline!" Elena yelled angrily. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, my feelings for Damon are real!"

"As real as _mine_?" Lana proposed. Elena shot her a glare.

"If you don't shut up—"

"You'll _what_?" Lana questioned. "Choke me to death again?"

"Again?" Rebekah laughed. Lana shot her eyes up at the blonde vampire.

"Yes, Elena tried, but failed, to kill me once."

"I didn't try." Elena leaned over the table. "If I tried, you would be _dead_ already."

Lana was about to say something, but was cut off by Rebekah. "This is getting a little too repetitive." Rebekah sighed. "Besides, I came here to find about the Cure." She paused.

"So you're going to tell me about the Cure." Rebekah looked at Stefan and Lana. "But one thing first."

Rebekah sped over to Stefan and tore her teeth through his wrist, tasting the metallic vampire blood that oozed from her bite. In once instant, she yanked Stefan's arm so he surged forward and brought the bleeding wrist to her mouth. Lana, under protest, drank from Stefan's hand, meanwhile he yelled his protests.

"Now," Rebekah pulled Stefan's hand away from Lana's mouth, "if I get angry and kill the human," she smiled and looked at Elena. "She'll be the one to haunt you forever."

Rebekah's voice got dark before she said finally, "Just in case I can't."

Rebekah smiled once more, licked the spare blood off of Stefan's wrist, and began to ask questions about what she came for.

* * *

**A/N: BIG SURPRISE coming soon! No more updates tonight, but definitely tomorrow! I'm going to try and catch up with the episodes by the time it comes back. Maybe, maybe not. I still have to update ****_Tickets _****soon…**

**_LISTEN UP! MY FRIEND _**_NICOLESALVATORE1918 __**HAS SOME STORIES SHE WANTS YOU TO READ! IF YOU LOVE ELIJAH/OCS AND DAMON/OCS (that OC pairing is for me…of course…) YOU SHOULD GO READ HER STORIES! THEY'RE AMAZING!**_

**_Especially go read: _**

_Her Stefan/OC, Damon/OC story:__ Unrequited Love_

_Her Elijah/OC, Damon/OC story:__ Stay_

_And finally, her other Elijah/OC, Damon/OC 1920's story:__ Unfaithful_

**_Pretty please? Thank you if you do go and read & review! _**

**Thank you guys SOOOOOOOOOOOO much for the 96 reviews! Four more people to review and I get 100! Please review, guys! It means the world. This story would be nothing without it's feedback!**

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**_X_**


	16. XVI

**A/N: Just getting to writing this. I had to do some stupid thing for Grammar where we have to write things down on a note card for the quiz. My hand hurts from writing so small :(**

**Anyway, enjoy this chapter! Not sure if it'll be the last in ****_After School Special, _****but we'll see where it goes!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own TVD or this episode or any characters associated with TVD. However, I do own my characters, plotline, and writing. **

* * *

**XVI**

"I'm sorry!" someone shouted from in front of them. "Did I interrupt playtime?" Klaus's amusing tone was not missed. Damon's eyes wandered suspiciously up to the house, where Klaus had entered the backyard, a smile gallivanting across his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jeremy snapped.

Klaus smiled as he walked closer. "I'm simply appreciating the sights and smells of nature," he said sarcastically. "Neither of which include rotting vampire flesh, so I'm a bit concerned." Klaus paused when he neared them. "How many vampires has he killed?"

The question wasn't directed towards Jeremy, but Damon. Damon sighed inwardly.

"If we throw Jeremy out into the world right now, he's _chum_," Damon explained vaguely.

Klaus caught on. "Yeah, see. That's not a number." He paused to gesture. "Twelve. That's a number." His British accent rung throughout the nature of the forest. "That's how many hybrids I slaughtered with my sword. Three, that's how many days it took to quell the urge to kill the urge to kill your brother after he knowingly watched as I walked into a death trap. One. That's the number of purposes you serve." Klaus stepped forward.

"You are here to grow Jeremy's mark, so, I'll ask again." He paused for dramatic effect, Damon imagined. Klaus smiled. "How many vampires has he killed since he's been here?"

Damon drew in a deep breath.

"Zero," Damon told Klaus. Klaus, instead of getting angry, started to chuckle.

"Mm," Klaus said. "That's a pity."

He turned around and began to walk away. "I'm going to need that cure…sooner, rather than later…" He paused once he got a couple feet away and turned around again. "Hybrid shortage and all," he continued. "How can I help?"

"You know," Damon mumbled. "Now that you mention it…" He began to assemble a wooden-bullet shooting gun. "Jeremy," he instructed. "Watch and learn."

Damon aimed at Klaus's heart and hit the target perfectly. Klaus was shot in the chest, not that it would kill his poor soul. Although, Klaus did struggle. Damon said sourly, "That's for Carol Lockwood," he said protectively. Klaus's face turned up and Damon walked away.

* * *

"I think your hiding something," Rebekah said slowly to Elena, compelling her. "Fess up."

Elena drew in a breath before answering. Lana watched intently.

"I didn't sleep with Damon because of the sire bond," she said. "I slept with Damon because I'm in love with him." An attitude traced her voice.

Everything was silent. Lana bursted out laughing. Rebekah's eyes shot over to the innocent human.

"What?" Rebekah asked. Lana shook her head.

"Nothing," Lana said.

"_Nothing _isn't an answer," Rebekah said. She walked over to the girl and compelled her. "What is so funny?"

"Elena _thinks _she's in love with him," Lana explained. Her eyes directed towards Elena, who tensed even more. "Obviously, it's the sire bond." She paused to look around. "Am I the only one understanding this?"

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked, surprised. Rebekah let Caroline's question get answered. Lana sighed and leaned forward on the table.

"Elena," she said slowly. "What do you feel for Damon?"

Elena grimaced. "What made _you _qualify to know about my feelings?" Elena proposed angrily.

Lana only grinned. "I'm a Psychology major," she said. "Now answer the question."

"No," Elena refused. "I'm not letting some college human tell me what to do."

"Then let _me _tell you what to do, Elena," Rebekah piped. "_You're _going to answer the question." She paused. "Now, please."

Elena drew in a breath and felt the compulsion-struck words rushed out of her mouth.

"I'm in love with Damon," she said slowly.

Lana nodded. "And this just…suddenly happened, am I correct?"

"No," Elena said, feeling pride that this girl was wrong.

"When did you start to _love _him?" Lana put the emphasis on the word _love_.

"I didn't _love _him until after I became a vampire and my feelings changed, but I _felt _for him when I was a human." Elena took _too _much pride in her statement. Stefan stayed silent the whole time. Lana nodded.

"And you're relationship with Stefan?" Lana asked. Rebekah answered for the vampire.

"Epic," Rebekah said. "They were epic." Rebekah paused to smile. "In their words, of course."

"So, this is what I'm understanding, Elena," Lana said reasonably. "Before you were a vampire, you thought Stefan was your one and only true love? And now, you're a vampire, and have those feelings for Damon."

"I never stopped loving Stefan!" she argued.

"That may be true," Lana agreed, "but you stopped _being _in love with Stefan because of your feelings with Damon."

"Get to the point, little human." Rebekah sighed. "We won't have all day."

Lana leaned over the table and looked into Elena's eyes while she spoke. "You only _think _your feelings for Damon is real, Elena, and you don't want to believe that they aren't."

"Because they _aren't_!" Elena argued.

"But, Elena, don't you see?" Lana proposed. "This is _all _because of the sire bond. You didn't feel that way about him before. And now that you're bonded to him and he's the one in love with you, wishing you loved him back, you do." She paused to shake her head and looked up at Rebekah. "She won't listen to me; I don't even know what the point was of this."

"Well, I'd love to see Elena try to contemplate that big equation of hers in her head while her heart is saying something completely different," Rebekah responded. "I'd love to see her implode." It was an excited statement. Lana leaned back in her chair and looked at Elena, who was grimacing at her.

"What?" Lana asked.

"You're nothing but a sad, _sorry _girl who couldn't get Damon to fall in love with you like he did with me, so now you're blaming me for your feelings!" Elena blurted out angrily. Rebekah began to laugh.

"This is fun," she said. "But back to the point."

"Oh, my God, Rebekah!" Stefan whined. "Just let us go!"

"Mm…" she thought, contemplating. "Um…no." She paused to look at Stefan. "Stefan, how do I find the Cure? Unless you'd rather talk about Damon and Elena all day."

Stefan answered.

"There's a professor who knows where the Cure is," Stefan answered, his voice barely a whisper. All different thoughts were running in his mind right now.

"Thank you," Rebekah said. "And…uh…how do I find this professor?"

* * *

"Do you love Stefan?"

"Yes."

"Are you still _in love _with Stefan?"

"No."

It took a while for Elena to answer, but she finally did. Lana looked over at Stefan, whose mouth and face went numb with surprise, anger, and sadness. Lana reached over and grabbed Stefan's hand, feeling sorry for the younger Salvatore.

"I have nothing to do with this," Lana said eventually. "Leave me alone," she commanded, her teeth grinding. Rebekah chuckled.

"I'm curious," she said carefully. "About you."

"Who isn't?" Lana inquired. Rebekah shot her a glare.

"You came in here as frightened as a horse as if it'd seen a snake," Rebekah snapped. "Now you're sticking up for Stefan, back-talking Elena, and back-talking me?" She paused. "Not that I care about the back-talking Elena. That was kind of fun." Rebekah smiled. "So…what is it about remembering the things you did with Damon make you so…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Heroically _brave_."

"Being with an abusive vampire who compels you, feeds on you, and lies to you does the trick," Lana spat, even though she knew in her heart Damon wasn't really that man. She remembered the times he held her and the times he'd made her feel…special.

Considering, in that moment, the night before, when he sent her flowers.

"Damon _abused _you?" Elena asked, partially laughing. "Now you're just making up lies."

"How could she lie when she's compelled, Elena?" Rebekah proposed. "Or have you just deluded yourself into thinking everyone around you is lying?"

At that moment, Tyler emerged from the doors into the classroom. Rebekah turned around. "Ah, good," she said. "You're here. It was just getting depressing."

She walked over to Tyler. "What the _hell _is going on?" Tyler asked. Rebekah turned around to the four people at the table.

"Here are the rules – stay in the building, no vamp-running in the hallways—"

"Vamp-running from what?" Caroline interrupted.

Rebekah turned to Tyler and said, "Turn."

"What?" Elena demanded.

"He can't, he'll lose control," Caroline said, all matter-of-fact.

"That's the whole point," Rebekah replied, as if they should've knew that already.

"Turn into _what_?" Lana asked, now afraid.

Stefan answered her, "A werewolf."

"I've exhausted all your knowledge; now I have the professor to help me find the Cure…you're just competition."

Elena gave a worried glance.

"What does this have to do with _me_?" Lana screamed. Rebekah shrugged.

"Collateral damage," she said with a smug smile on her face.

"If I turn," Tyler said, "I'll kill them."

"Yes," Rebekah said softly. "You will." Then, she commanded, "Turn."

Rebekah walked out without a glance backward.

* * *

Tyler's screams filled the library and they all winced from the sound of his breaking back. Lana's hand was firmly in Stefan's, who was guiding her where he could. Elena didn't find it in her strength to be jealous for the time being.

Stefan pushed them all out of the door, and they began to run. Stefan shut the door and Elena commented, "That door's not going to hold him!"

No one said anything else. They ran down the hallways of the deserted school at a normal pace, one Lana was partially able to keep up with by the help of Stefan. Elena ran in front of them and Stefan tailed along with Lana at his side. He did not dare part with her, because he needed to keep her safe. If she died…she became a vampire.

And we all know how that turns out.

They ran into another hallway, and with the help of the two vampires' strength, they successfully closed the double doors tightly. Stefan inserted a fire-ax into the door handles to prevent the large werewolf from coming into the hallway. Elena moved away from the door and walked over to one of the lockers, where she ripped off a door and put it on the handles.

The door wasn't strong enough. The wolf banged into it and almost gnawed its way through.

Stefan turned to Lana. "Stay back," he commanded. She did as told, stepping off to the side as Elena and Stefan looked at each other. Both of them gained momentum before hurling their bodies at the door and closing it with one, big slam.

* * *

After they had gotten April out of the classroom, much to Lana's dismay and distaste for the sight of April's close-wounded mountain of blood, Stefan shut the door of the classroom, for it was useless for them to try and leave, since they were compelled. Once Stefan shut the door, he looked over and Lana and walked to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. She nodded, still a little afraid.

"Yes…" she said. "I'm fine."

"Good," he said and turned his head towards Elena.

"Stefan," Elena commanded. He shook his head, knowing what she was going to say.

"No."

"Stefan, we need to talk about this. Please," she said softly.

"Talk about what, huh?" Stefan released Lana's grip and moved over to Elena. "How many more ways are there for you to rip my heart out?" he proposed.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Sorry that it happened or sorry that I found out?" he asked. Lana had to admit, it was a good retort and a good question all in one.

"I'm sorry about all of it," she cried. "I'm really sorry, Stefan, I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't want that."

He turned his cheek away in anger and the door busted open. It was Rebekah.

"Why are my least favorite people always the most durable?" she asked angrily. "I should kill both of the girls, Stefan, and make you watch." She paused. "Because _you're _my least favorite, so you get the show."

"Leave them out of it," Stefan growled, more protective than ever. Rebekah laughed.

"Okay, I'd understand Elena on some sick level, but why the human, huh?" Rebekah proposed. "After all, she did sleep with your brother, I presume."

"I said to leave her out of it, Rebekah," he said. "This is between you and me."

But no, did Rebekah listen?

Of course not.

Rebekah just sauntered over to the innocent human and grabbed her by her shoulders.

"Elena seems to not like this girl," Rebekah said. "And I like her, actually, because she clearly doesn't like Elena and the feeling is mutual." Rebekah paused. "It's a pity such a wonderful human life should be wasted."

She paused as her fingers got into position around Lana's neck. "But, think of it this way." The blonde Original smiled at Elena Gilbert. "Now you've got someone _else _to compete with."

The sound of Lana's neck cracking rung throughout the classroom. Stefan nearly lunged, but he was too late. Lana's body was on the ground, limp, and dead.

Rebekah smiled.

"Get ready for a love _square_," she giggled and walked out the door. "It's going to be _fantastic." _

* * *

He had been waiting for Elena to say those very words for his entire life. He marveled at them.

After telling her to come to him immediately, they both hung up the phone. Damon looked up at the stars, trying to do the right thing and thank…_someone _out there for giving him what he wanted.

But…was it really what he wanted?

"You know," a voice said behind him. "I really thought that you wouldn't be so stupid. Maybe it was just the compulsion talking…but I honestly thought you weren't a moron…if it means anything."

Damon turned around, and hearing that voice gave him chills running up and down his back. It wasn't possible. _Stefan_ had taken care of it. _He _had taken care of it. _Klaus _had taken care of it.

But when he turned around and saw the face he could never in a million years forget about the torture he exposed upon, he only let one word escape his mouth, and he didn't know if it was from excitement, anger, sadness, or confusion.

"Lana?"

* * *

_Her fangs throbbed in the middle of the street. She had run out of that school as fast as she could, not even bothering to stop to talk to the man who wanted to help her. She wandered out into the street, unknowing and premature. _

_"Hey…" someone trailed off. "Are you all right? You look sick." _

_In a flash, her head whipped around to see a young boy, maybe a high school boy, trotting down the road, a skateboard in his hand, a beanie on his head. Her face turned up, disgusted at his look. _

_But she inhaled softly…and suddenly…he didn't look disgusting anymore. He looked…what was the right way to put it?_

_Delicious. _

_Without saying a single word, she launched forward, her fangs extending and her hunger becoming satisfied. She tore through the boy's neck, consuming the large amount of blood that flowed in thick, heavy strands down her eager throat. _

_But it was all over too fast. She was ripped away from the boy, although she had drained every single ounce of blood from his body and he fell limp. She enjoyed the taste, fed on it…consumed on it. _

_"Lana!" the man in front of her snapped. Stefan Salvatore glared at her with bad, concerning eyes. "Lana, you didn't have to do that!" _

_She looked at the boy's lifeless body. _

_"Yeah…" she trailed off. "But…I did." She paused. "Where's Damon?" _

* * *

**A/N: So…how did you like that? ****_ONE HUNDRED AND NINE REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! I MEAN IT SOOOOO MUCH! _**

**Thank you SO much for the reviews! Especially all the nice ones. And they're funny, too :) **

**Keep 'em coming! Next chapter up soon…maybe tonight…maybe not. I have an extra hour and I was thinking about getting some manuscript writing done to finish off the night!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	17. XVII

**A/N: I. SAW. OZ. THE. GREAT. AND. POWERFUL. IT. WAS. AMAZING. SO. AMAZING. I'M. PUTTING. PERIODS. BETWEEN. EVERY. WORD. **

**It was that amazing!**

**Enjoy the chapter! Lana is a vampire now…complications? CHECK!**

**NEW THEME SONG FOR THIS STORY: Go check out **_Heavy in Your Arms _**by Florence & the Machine if you haven't heard it already! I proclaim it the new theme song (but I won't rename this story…because the title is too perfect!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. No part of TVD is mine, or any part of the episode, ****_Catch Me If You Can_****. But, I do own my characters, plotline, and writing. **

**PS:**** Lana's outfit for this chapter is on Polyvore! It's a really pretty outfit!**

* * *

**_XVII_**

"In the flesh." The newborn vampire paused, her eyes glittering in the moonlight. "Well, if you count being dead as flesh…"

He took her in, slowly and carefully. The girl who he had taken the most advantage of, stood in front of him, probably reining more power than he'll ever have, just by looking into her menacing eyes. Her hair fell down her shoulders, settling in soft, curly waves. Her pale arms glistened, reflecting off the color of the moon. Damon could tell she wasn't cold from the black corset tank top she was wearing with her peach-colored mini-skirt that revealed her ever-long legs.

After all, she was a vampire now.

"What are you doing here?" he asked roughly, his voice barely able to keep it together. He saw her…and he wanted to crack.

She smiled a vindictive, slow smile that gave him the chills. The more he thought about it, in the darkness of the night…she looked…she looked…

Like Katherine.

But she wasn't. He still remembered that part of her that wanted to help him. Her eyes sparkled as she answered. "I wanted to see you, Damon."

He gulped. "Why?"

She grimaced. "You know why."

Damon sighed dramatically. "Yes. I compelled you. I abused you. Do what you will to me." He threw his hands up in the air. "I'm stronger than you, anyways."

Lana shook her head. "Damon, I'm not here to exact revenge on you." She barely rolled her eyes. "I'm here to _see _you, Damon," she said softly. "I…_missed _you."

He swallowed, this time harder. Damon looked into her sea of chocolate brown eyes. He would've gotten lost in them if it weren't for Elena. "You missed me?" he asked. "You're not…mad?"

"Damon." She sighed and stepped towards him. She didn't touch him or do anything that would have to make him choose. "Yes," she said softly. "I missed you. I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

She shook her head. "I'm not mad."

He paused. "W-Why not?" he stuttered, stunned for words. She exhaled.

"Believe it or not," she said carefully. "You're not the worst thing that's happened to me." Her eyes lowered, as if remembering something she didn't want to.

Damon thought about closing the space between them, maybe giving her an embrace, but he resisted. Instead, his voice dropped to a whisper. "You never told me…" he said carefully. Her eyes directed towards him, gleaming lightly.

"Told you what?" she asked.

"About what happened to you," he prompted. "What made _you _unable to love again."

She thought about it for a minute. "Yes…" she trailed off. "I guess I haven't." She paused. "I'm sorry…all the memories…" She let out a long, hard breath. "They haven't all returned to me yet."

"What do you remember?" he asked coldly.

"Most things." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "The most _important _things."

He swallowed. "I didn't mean…"

"I know."

"Let me finish," he told her abruptly. "I didn't mean to hurt you Lana. I didn't."

"I know."

"But you _don't_!" he said, frustrated. "You don't know! You come here and tell me that you're not angry…that you've had worse done to you!" His voice rose higher. "When really, you should be shoving me around like I'm a punching bag!"

Damon wanted her to get angry. He wanted to thrive on the feeling of someone…someone not _loving _him so much. Someone who reminded him of who he used to be before he fell into the deep abyss of Elena Gilbert.

He _strived _for it.

"You want angry?" she yelled, now frustrated, herself. She shoved him backwards, throwing him up against a tree bark in anger. "You've got angry, Damon! I don't understand you!" she began to punch at his chest. "I hate you! I hate you for what you've done to me!"

She had tried to be civil about it, something she'd been taught to do after her relapse from her childhood sweetheart. She tried to forgive, but she couldn't forget.

Silence filled the air between them. He leaned forward, maybe bracing for the kiss, and she remained where she was. Just as he was about to touch her lips, maybe anticipating a feverish kiss, his head rammed back on the tree bark from his own will.

"I can't," he choked out. "I just…_can't_."

She let go of his leather jacket, but he grabbed her pale, cold hands. She may have not been able to feel the coldness of her skin from the night air and her exposed arms, but he felt it. It was stone cold, not that he cared. She looked down at his hand and tightened his grip with hers.

"You were talking to Elena on the phone," she whispered. "Am I right?" She paused. "I still…I'm not exactly sure how this whole thing works," Lana admitted sheepishly.

"I was talking to Elena," he admitted.

"What did she say?" Lana asked, her teeth grinding.

"Some things," Damon admitted. Lana paused.

"Did she tell you she loved you?" Lana asked. Damon stayed silent. Her hand released his in an instant, maybe angry. She couldn't take any more deceit from him. "Did she?"

"Yes," Damon squeezed out, his heart tightening. "But—"

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" she asked, raising her voice a pitch. "Because, Damon, I'll do it. I'll leave you alone to be with Elena." She paused. "But if you break the sire bond…" she trailed off. "I'm not going to be the one to comfort you."

"What do you know about the sire bond?" Damon challenged. He was getting tired of people telling him that Elena's love was not real.

"Elena may _think _the sire bond doesn't affect feelings, but I'm pretty sure that it did," she told him. "I had a lovely chance to talk to her this afternoon." Lana smiled, but then it dropped. "Damon…if you don't get out now…" She shook her head. "I don't know what to tell you."

He said nothing, so she told him once again. "Do you want me to leave?" she asked. "Because I will. I will leave you and Elena alone."

He took a few moments to answer. Did he really want her to disappear? _Were _things going to be different if Elena broke the sire bond with Damon? Maybe she was sure about her feelings, but he…he wasn't so clear about it anymore.

He exhaled. "I don't know what I want." He reached forward and pulled Lana closed to him. His hand fisted in her hair, grabbing the back of her neck so she surged forward towards him. Her eyes focused on his neck and her hands felt the space on his shirt. Damon's breathing was so slow…

He didn't know what he wanted. But right now, he thought he wanted this.

Her eyes flickered up to his lips, where she said nothing. He leaned down to kiss her, but before he could, she used her vampire speed to escape from his grasp. She leaned back, almost dipping in his arms. He got the sense that…she didn't want him as much as he wanted her.

He sighed and let her out of his grasp. This time, it was her who grabbed his hand in return. "Damon…" she trailed off. "I can't…not when…" She sighed, exasperated. He nodded and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

"I understand," he said. "It's…I shouldn't be doing this to you." He nodded to himself. "I should just let you go."

She shook her head. "Don't," she pleaded. "That was what got us in this mess in the first place."

He smiled. "It is, isn't it?"

She nodded. Suddenly, something came rushing back to him.

"Lana," he started. "What were you going to say before I compelled you to forget?"

She inhaled, ready to make her answer, until Damon's phone beeped, and he realized he had to answer it. He brought his phone out of his pocket and raised an index finger to hold her.

"Hold that thought," he said carefully as he read the message on the screen. It was Klaus, the big-bad vampire.

"Damn it!" Damon exclaimed angrily. "I have to go."

"Okay," Lana said understandingly. "I'll be back at the boarding house."

He turned around. "All by yourself?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Stefan will be there," she said. "He's probably going to teach me how to hunt."

Damon smiled. "Stefan will teach you how to hunt bunnies," Damon quipped and gripped her hand. "Wait for me?" he asked her, letting her use her own free-will to choose, since he couldn't compel her in this state. "I'll teach you the _real _way to hunt."

She nodded. "Okay," she agreed.

He leaned forward to kiss her, but realized that he shouldn't. Instead, he kissed her cheek lightly and fled in one quick instant.

* * *

Back at the boarding house, Stefan Salvatore answered the door very quickly and briskly. Lana walked into the vampire-welcomed house, marveling at the way it looked different to her eyes. She smiled.

"Better than I remember," she said, smiling. Stefan smiled as he offered her a glass of bourbon. She took it gracefully and sat down on the couch.

"Damon said to wait for him to teach me how to hunt," she said, once they had gotten settled. "He said you'd only teach me how to eat bunnies." She giggled, surprisingly, sounding like a school-girl. A laugh she had done when she was human.

Stefan shook his head. "Don't listen to my brother," he said. "I won't teach you how to eat bunnies, but I don't want you to feed off the vein," he said. "It's not…"

"Right?" she finished for him and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I can listen to you instead." She laughed. "Besides, what does _Damon _know? He compelled me and fed on me." She smiled, but felt the sadness behind her eyes.

Stefan paused, carefully taking in her words. Suddenly, a spark went off, and he felt his heart sink. "Lana…" he trailed off. "What did you just say?"

"Damon compelled me and fed on me?" she told him while taking a sip of her alcohol.

"No…" Stefan said. "You said you'd listen to me instead."

"Yeah…" she trailed off. "So?"

"I'm not taking any more chances," he said and stood up. "Don't move," he told her. With his vampire speed, he zoomed down to the cellar, grabbed a blood bag, and raced back upstairs, where Lana was sitting, her back poised.

She hadn't moved. Not even an inch. He began to panic, but readied for the ultimate test. Part of him wished that she _was_, in fact, what he thought he was to her. But, another part of him didn't want that to happen.

He knelt in front of her and looked at the blood bag. "I don't think you should drink this," he told her carefully. "It would make me very unhappy. I want you to drink animal blood instead."

"But you just said…" she trailed off, confused. A glisten appeared beneath her eyes. He exhaled.

"Do you want blood, Lana?" he asked carefully. She nodded.

"Yes, please," she begged. He offered her the bag, and she took it. Immediately, she ripped off the tube that led to the packaged blood and began to drink heavily.

To Stefan's relief and surprise, it went down. She smiled as she finished the package.

"That was…" she trailed off. "Weird." She paused. "Nothing like the vein." She shrugged.

He let out a deep sigh. _She's not sired to me. _

But, then, as if it all happened in a large, big, misunderstood flash, Lana sped to the bathroom, covering her mouth on the way. Stefan's heart dropped in his chest as he raced over to the bathroom, himself, to see blood, blood that had just gone down Lana's throat, splattered all over the toilet.

"Not again…" Stefan trailed off, mumbling. Lana sank to the toilet, panting, queasy from throwing up all of that blood.

_She is sired to me, _Stefan thought carefully as the morning light peaked through the window.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! Another awesome twist, right? **

**NEW THEME SONG FOR THIS STORY: Go check out **_Heavy in Your Arms _**by Florence & the Machine if you haven't heard it already! I proclaim it the new theme song (but I won't rename this story…because the title is too perfect!**

**Lol! I didn't even write anything about the episode in this chapter…it was all purely fictional, really! **

**Anyways…thanks for all the reviews again! **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	18. XVIII

**A/N: I hope you guys liked that twist! Thank you for the new ten or so reviews! It really makes my day! **

**Enjoy this chapter! Oh, and by the way, for everyone who says they think it'll be a Stefan/OC story, it won't. Just clearing that up. But, there will be a little Stefan/OC incorporation, but not ENDGAME Stefan/OC. **

**Disclaimer: Nope, nothing about TVD is mine. Only the OC characters, writing, and plotline in this story are absolutely mine!**

* * *

**_XVIII_**

Stefan stared at the gorgeous newborn sitting on the bench in front of his bed, watching as Bonnie closed her eyes and began to focus on charming the ring in front of her.

After a few moments, with a few stolen glances between the sire and the sired, Bonnie exhaled and handed the lapis lazuli enchanted ring to Lana. "Here," Bonnie said. Stefan couldn't pick up a judging tone in her voice. "Now you can walk in the daylight."

Lana didn't put the ring on, though. She held it in her hand, fisted it, and nodded. "Thank you," she said. Bonnie nodded and stood up. She grabbed her bag and spoke to Stefan.

"I have to go," Bonnie said. "I have to meet Shane…"

Stefan nodded in agreement. "Sure," he said. "Thanks, Bonnie."

"You're welcome." Bonnie exited swiftly, leaving the two vampires alone. It was near eight in the morning, the light slowly breaching the walls of the window. Lana moved away from it, still not putting her ring on.

Stefan walked over to where she stood in the room and asked, "Are you okay?"

She sighed. "I…don't know," she said honestly. "I'm…confused."

He nodded and exhaled loudly. "And here we thought siring was hard." He attempted the joke, but it didn't follow through. Stefan wanted to comfort her, but she sounded so…heartbroken. "It'll be okay," he said. "I'll let you go." _I'll do what my brother can't. _

She shook her head. "But…" she trailed off. "What if…what if that's not what I want?"

He looked up at her, confused. "It's _not _what you want?" he asked. She paused hesitantly, trying to get out what she was going to say.

"I just…" She blew out a long breath of air. "I'm _tired_," she whined. "I'm tired of being _me._"

She began to shake her head, tears strolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to be a vampire," she said. "I thought…maybe…maybe it would be _fun_," she admitted. Stefan reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes. "But…now…all these complications." She paused. "Stefan, I don't want you to go away," she said.

He pursed his lips, debating what to say. "It's the sire bond, Lana," he said carefully. "You don't really _feel _that way about me."

"You're the only good thing that's happened to me since I've been mixed in with Damon," she said. "I don't want you to go away."

Stefan didn't say anything else. He pulled her into a large embrace, letting her cry on his shoulder as he comforted her. Her hands were on his neck, clutching him closer. He patted down her hair, whispering for her to calm down. She did, but the fear, the anger, and the sadness wasn't all gone.

"It's your emotions," Stefan whispered. "They're heightened." He pulled away to look in her eyes. Convincingly, he said, "You'll get used to it, Lana, I promise."

She nodded and wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. She gave a small laugh and tossed the ring between her slender fingertips. "Some part of me just wants to throw this away and burn in the sun." She looked up at him, her eyes capturing his. "But…another part…"

Unspoken words hovered over the air. Stefan cleared his throat, determined not to give into the feelings of the sire bond. He grasped her hand and took the ring from her fist. He slipped it onto her left middle finger, where it slid on easily over her long, thin, frail finger. "I don't want you to burn," he said, "But it's not my choice."

She said nothing more. Both of them stood with each other, looking into each other's eyes, debating whether to bring the sire bond feelings up to light. Lana wanted nothing more, but that feeling for Damon itched inside of her body. It wasn't the same – with Stefan. With Stefan, it was more like a guilt feeling. With Damon…it made her feel everything she wanted to.

But, regardless of that Damon feeling in the back of her heart, she surged forward to pull her lips to Stefan's. They kissed, and he let her kiss him, although a part of him told himself to pull away. She wrapped her hands around his neck and let him clutch her closer.

"Hey…hey…" Stefan pulled his lips from hers finally, but kept her at the length she was. She sunk down from being on her toes and tilted her head.

"What?"

"We can't," he said. "You're _sired _to me, Lana." He paused. "You know what that means."

"I know," she said, and released her hands from his neck and stepped away. "I just…"

"I know," he finished for her. "But you and I…"

She looked up at him, and those eyes stared at him with a kind of desire he'd never seen before. A sire desire.

He didn't know if it was because he felt jealous of Elena and Damon's sire bond. He didn't know if it was because he wanted his ex-girlfriend to have a taste of her own medicine.

Stefan brought Lana's lips back to his own and met her in a passionate kiss. They kissed, but nothing more took place, because just as her fingers moved to his shirt, the door swung open, revealing a certain blonde Original who had changed Lana into what she was. Stefan and Lana broke the kiss, as if caught red-handed, to stare at the smiling Original.

"That didn't take long." Rebekah smiled. "Have you noticed that _every _time I kill someone, they become sired to someone else?" Rebekah pouted. "It's just a very unfortunate gift."

Her smile stretched across her face. Stefan cleared his throat. "I know you were, uh, daggered for a little while, but knocking is still a thing," Stefan informed. Rebekah smiled.

"Yeah, well." She shrugged. "I guess I really should've knocked. You two looked pretty busy in here."

Lana flushed. "Um…Stefan…" she trailed off. "I think I'm going to leave."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll see you later, Lana."

"Bye." She left without one last glance towards Rebekah, maybe feeling a slight hatred to the woman who made her the horrible demonic creature who was on the brink of almost sleeping with Damon's brother.

* * *

"Where have you _been_?" Hannah answered the door angrily, her face fuming red. "Brenton had to wait for _me _to come and pick him up!" Hannah's teeth grinded. "And on top of it, you didn't come home last night!"

Lana's fangs ached, but the fire in her throat settled to a bearable state. Quickly, she answered, "I'm sorry, Hannah. I didn't mean to scare you."

She cocked a hip. "And leaving my brother stranded until the evening?"

Lana sighed. "I…can't talk about it, okay?" Lana rummaged through her things, packing a large bag for her new life. She took only the necessities, things she couldn't live without. She threw in some clothes that she liked, but she was almost positive Damon wouldn't allow her to live in the clothes she had as a human anymore.

_Damon, _she thought eerily. She didn't exactly know…_what _she felt about Stefan, but she knew _exactly _how she felt about Damon.

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked, maybe sighing. Lana didn't particularly care at the moment.

"I have to leave," Lana said abruptly. "You can't…ask questions. You can't say anything. You can't follow me." Lana paused to look at her friend, who was bewildered beyond doubt.

"Is this about Damon?" Hannah asked. Lana turned to her best friend and suddenly bursted with rage.

"Not _everything _is about boys, Hannah!" Lana protested. "All you ever _do _is talk about boys! Jackson this, Damon that, when will it ever _stop_?"

Her rage echoed through the empty dorm room. Hannah glared back at her best friend. "Who are you," Hannah asked carefully, "and what have you done with my best friend?"

Lana gave a sharp, quick, non-compliant laugh. "She's _right _here," she said. "But this is the best friend who's not afraid to tell the truth."

Hannah drew in a deep breath. "Fuck you, Lana," she said coldly. "Get out."

Lana threw the bag over her shoulder and shoved her ex-best friend aside. "Gladly," Lana remarked, her response full of venom.

Lana slammed the door and waited for a split second, maybe thinking that the human side of her would come out and she would apologize to her dearest friend.

Sadly, they both stood on opposite sides of the doors, seething. Lana, in a flash, cleared the hallway out to her car, just when Hannah opened the door to apologize.

But when Hannah opened the door, Lana was already halfway down the main road to leave.

* * *

She didn't know what time she had gotten back, she had stopped at the woods to feed and wonder by herself. When she returned to the boarding house, Elena had walked out, barely passing Lana as she walked into the door. Lana trudged in her bag and set it in a spare bedroom upstairs, where Stefan met her by the door.

"Hey," he said carefully. She looked at him, his head hung and his eyes staring at her. She swallowed, feeling her stomach flutter.

"Hi," she responded, breathless. He walked into her bedroom.

"Something happened today," Stefan said. "Damon got compelled by one of the Originals to kill Jeremy."

She knew who Jeremy was, and she recognized that Stefan assumed she knew who Jeremy was. Of course, it was all about Elena.

"Did he?" Lana asked curiously. Stefan shook his head.

"No," Stefan said. "But we have Damon locked in the cellar until we can figure out what to do with Kol, the one who compelled him."

Lana's heart sunk. Damon? Locked up?

Before she could say anything, Stefan spoke to her. "Lana," he said carefully. "About this morning…"

"Stefan," she interrupted. "I don't know what to say about this morning, but I'm sorry." She paused and lowered her eyes. "Stefan…I…"

"Love Damon?" he finished for her. She looked up at him.

"How did you…?"

"It's not hard to guess," Stefan said. "But what surprises me about this whole thing is that…after all of this you were able to survive the sire bond."

"Stefan," she said carefully. "I can _feel _the feelings I have for you." She paused to grab his hands. "Everything inside of me is telling me that _you're _the one I need. That _you're _the one I'm destined to be with." She shook her head. "Well, every part except one."

_My heart, _she thought, not bothering to say the words. Stefan nodded.

"I understand," he said. "After all, if it happened with Elena, it'll happen with you." He sighed. "No one will ever love me as much as they love my brother."

Lana shook her head. "No, Stefan, I don't believe that." She took his face in her hands. "Stefan, Elena and Damon are not meant to be together," she said sternly. "I'm not saying that because I'm in love with Damon. I'm not saying that because I want Damon to myself. I'm saying this because Elena has deluded herself into thinking she loves Damon because of the sire bond."

Lana paused, choosing her words carefully. "Elena's not strong enough to overcome the intense feelings she has with Damon because defiance radiates _everywhere _in her." Lana sighed. "Give her time. Time for Damon to realize that she's not in love with him."

Stefan smiled. "And that he's in love with you?"

Lana didn't smile. "I don't know if I'd hold your breath on that."

"I don't know if I'd hold my breath on Elena," he said. "Elena's…changed." Stefan shook his head. "And I'm not sure it's for the better."

"You want her to be human again?" Lana asked. She remembered putting two and two together when she figured out about the Cure from Stefan.

"I don't know what I want anymore." It sounded like a whine. "All I know is that I'm confused."

Lana sighed. "You can't sit around and wait for her anymore, Stefan," Lana urged. "If she's too much of an idiot to realize that she had the best deal she could ever have and threw it all away because of fake feelings…" Lana trailed off. "You deserve better."

"Thank you," he said. She nodded.

"Anytime."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "If you want," he said. "You can go and see Damon. You just can't let Elena down there."

"Why…?" Lana trailed off, then she realized. _Sire bond. _"Oh. Got it."

Stefan nodded and released Lana's hand. She let him go, where he walked out the door, off to some other place. She wondered about it, but soon began to flash down the stairs to the cellar.

* * *

Damon was on his back, staring up at the ceiling, tracing the patterns of the dirt over and over again, contemplating things, when he heard someone enter the cellar. He shot up, feeling affects from a migraine and blood loss.

Lana appeared at the door, where she unlocked it with super-strength, and shut it tightly. She leaned against the door and saw Damon, all crusted with blood and crippled on the floor. She rushed over to him. "Are you all right?" she asked. He smiled faintly.

"Lana…" he trailed off, sighing. "I'm fine," he assured her. "Just a little blood loss, that's all."

She was on her knees next to him, her hair draping over her face. She pushed it back and sat back on her heels. "I'm sorry they did this to you," she said.

"It's okay," he said. "I don't know when I get out, but when I get out, if Kol Mikaelson isn't dead, I'll kill him myself!" Damon promised. Lana smiled and laughed.

"Even a weakened Damon could find some vendetta against another, right?" she teased. He smiled back at her and didn't respond. He only used his weak hand to grab hers.

"I'm glad Stefan let me see you." Damon let out a sigh. "He won't let me see Elena, for purposes I'm sure are not because of the sire bond."

"You know if Elena comes down here, all you have to do is ask her and she'll do it," Lana argued. "I think Stefan is doing the right thing," she said honestly. Damon raised his eyebrow.

"Since when do you agree with Stefan?" Damon asked. Lana fell silent, suddenly hearing the raging storm that was about to pass through. "Stefan…"

"Damon, _please _don't get angry," she said. "It's not like he can help it. It's not his fault."

"_What's not his fault_?" Damon asked carefully.

"Damon, _please_."

"What. Happened?"

Lana took in a deep breath before explaining. "I'm sired, Damon," she said carefully. "To Stefan."

Damon took in a deep breath of anger. "I'm going to _kill _him," he said weakly. "How _could _he?"

"It's not his fault!" Lana said. "He didn't _make _it happen!"

"I'll kill him regardless," Damon proposed.

"Damon, _please_," she pleaded. "Don't hurt him."

Damon looked at her, his eyes full of concern. "You love him?" Damon asked weakly, his voice cracking.

"Damon—"

"Are you in love with my brother?" His voice raised an octave. She tried to explain to him, but he wouldn't listen. He kept asking the question, sitting up so he towered over her on her knees. Finally, she yelled over him.

"I love _you, _damn it!" she screamed, her voice twice as loud as his. Damon stopped trying to say anything. "I love _you_," she whispered. "Not Stefan."

Damon gulped, unable to say words. She stopped him, anyways. "I know, Damon. I know. You can't love me. I know you can't be in love with me because you're in love with Elena—"

He brought his lips to hers in a feisty kiss, his hands knotting in her hair. She kissed him back, her hands on his, guiding him as they kissed. He broke away and leaned against her forehead. "Lana, what were you going to tell me before I told you to leave?" He left out the word _compel_.

"I love you," she breathed out. "I was going to tell you that I love you."

He removed his hands from her face, which felt like a slap. He buried his head in his hands and said nothing. She got up from her knees and began to turn away, fearful that he didn't accept what she said.

His hand caught her wrist and spun her back to him. Damon put Lana's hand on his heart and massaged it lightly. "Why did you have to come _after _I fell in love with Elena?"

Lana knelt on the ground and tightened her hand around Damon's.

"I wish I had come before," she whispered. "You don't know how much."

Damon shook his head. "It's so _unfair_," he said. "I _want _to be with you, Lana, I do. But…then there's…there's…"

"_Her_," Lana finished, dropping her voice to a whisper. Damon raised his head and shook it.

"I just can't _stop_," he whined. "I can't _stop _loving her." He paused to look at Lana. "And…I don't know how to love someone else."

"I figured as much," she said, trying to get herself out of his grasp. He didn't let her this time, and she wasn't even sure she wanted out.

"Lana…" he trailed off. "I don't think I'm capable of love anymore."

She didn't know whether she was angry or sad about it, but she only said, "I don't know what to say."

"It's not fair for me to do this to you." Damon shook his head. "I can't let you love me if I can't love you back. I've had that happen to me…."

"Damon…" she trailed off. "You may not love me, but I'll love you." She paused. "And I'll be the one there for you when Elena breaks your heart."

Damon laughed, his laugh echoing through the walls of the tiny cellar. "I don't know whether to be angry or ignore that comment."

"You should be happy." She released herself out of his grasp and stood up, brushing off her legs. "Maybe one day you'll see that I'm the one who could overcome the sire bond feelings for Stefan to love you and Elena was so weak that she can't even control her emotions."

Damon didn't say anything as she walked out and locked the door behind her. He didn't know whether to be mad, sad, or _happy _about what just happened.

He closed his eyes and drifted off into a heavy and dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Next couple chapters won't be as ****_intense _****as some of the last few, but I promise no more MAJOR twists for a long time. Actually, no more major twists ****_period_****, I think….until the show resumes again and something happens...**

**Thank you again for the reviews! It's making me so happy!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	19. XIX

**A/N: Sorry about the small delay, I just needed a break from updating this story. But now I'm back. **

**Don't even mention last night's episode. I'm too upset for words. Let's just say that it will NOT be going like that in this story when the time comes!**

**Please go read my new story **Heavy In Your Arms **that I uploaded a couple days ago! ****It's doing well, but with your help, it can do better!**

**Enjoy the chapter! VOTE ON MY POLL!**

**Disclaimer: From ****_A View To Kill! _****Only the Lana/Damon parts I imagined up in this little brain of mine! I don't own anything besides my writing, characters, and plotline. **

* * *

**_XIX_**

Damon's head turned to see the door of his cage opening and closing. The light blinded him for a minute, but then it was gone. Lana stepped inside the cellar and sat on the floor next to him, her legs crossed. She opened a blood bag.

"You know," she said. "These are _really _good. Well, the first time it wasn't good, but since Stefan told me I could drink them…"

"Let me guess." Damon smiled. "It tasted like hot garbage the first time?"

Lana nodded suspiciously. "How did you know?"

He sighed. "Lucky guess." He sat up in his cot. "Morning," he said, not feeling so chipper.

"Morning." Lana, on the other hand, was feeling a little chipper.

"Where'd you sleep?" Damon asked carefully. Lana eyed him.

"In your room," she said. "I hope that's okay. I didn't really feel comfortable sleeping anywhere else."

"No problem," Damon said. He slid down to the floor and crossed his legs so they were facing each other. He eyed the blood bag. "Can I have some?" he asked.

She paused to shake her head. Quickly, she drained the rest of the containments and threw the package to the other side of the floor. "Sorry, Damon," she said apologetically. "You have to be weak enough to stay in here." Lana lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry you have to stay in here. I would take you out…but…"

"Stefan said not to," Damon guessed. She nodded. Damon sighed. "It's okay," he told her. "At least you can come and visit me."

She inhaled. "About that…" She paused. "Have you thought about what I told you? Last night?"

"Yes," he said after a while. "I have."

"And?"

"And?" he questioned back. "There really is nothing more to it, Lana. I understand that you were able to break the sire bond for me." He paused and reached out to touch her, but she resisted. He sighed. "I just don't know what to say anymore. Elena…"

"It's all about Elena, right?" she shot back. "Everything – life, death, everything in between – is about _Elena Gilbert_."

"I know you're upset—"

"_I'm _the one who's here for you, Damon!" she yelled. "_I'm _the one who's been in love with you, even _before _I was a vampire. Elena…Elena only felt _sorry _for you because you were in love with her and she was in epic love with Stefan."

"What do you want me to say?" Damon challenged. "I'm sorry I have feelings for someone else?"

"I want you to understand what you're _doing _to me!" she said. "I want you to understand that I'm no different from the Damon who fell in love with Elena while she was in love with Stefan. Except, now, I'm Damon, you're Elena, and Elena's Stefan."

It was confusing, sure, but he understood. "I'm sorry." He hung his head. "I'm so, so, sorry. I…" he trailed off. "I _care _about you, Lana, I really do."

"Think about the words you just said." She grasped his hands in hers. "Just _think _about those words and remember the words that Elena has told you. Care. Isn't that word one of the words in her vocabulary?" She had meant it to be amusing, but it was only amusing to her.

He looked into her eyes and realized what she was saying. He realized what _he _was saying.

In an instant, he pulled her lips to his and they began kissing again. Damon pulled her on top of his lap and began to run his fingertips over her body, caressing her touches. Her fingers rested on his face and kept it steady. He used his vampire speed to thrust them up and push her against the wall, kissing his way down her throat. "Damon…" she breathed out, partially groaning.

"Well I see I'm interrupting." Klaus stood at the door, shut it, and stepped inside. "Although, I really don't care. Apparently, I've been walking in on all sorts of sexual encounters, isn't that right, Stefan?"

Stefan stood outside the door, watching as Lana and Damon parted from the wall. Klaus smiled. "I guess someone isn't up to talking about it, huh?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon asked groggily. Klaus smiled.

"Babysitting," Klaus quipped. "But I see that's not necessary, Stefan, why did you bring me here if his little girlfriend can keep him…entertained?"

Damon smiled. "Stefan's mad at me for sleeping with _both _of them, I suppose," Damon said.

"Damon," Lana warned. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "I got it."

"Lana," Stefan said briskly. "Get out of the cellar."

Lana grimaced. "But…I don't want to."

"It would make me happy if you left Damon alone until the compulsion ended."

"You know what would make _me_ happy?" she countered. "If you didn't use the sire bond against me, Stefan. Seriously? You had to go with the sire bond?" Lana tried to fight it, but she was already heading towards the door.

"Stefan, please," Damon groaned. "You won't let me see Elena, at least let her be downstairs with me," Damon pleaded. "Klaus is here – he'll make sure nothing goes on between us, because I know you have some freaky sire-bond attachment."

"Yes, like you and Elena?" Stefan proposed.

"Enough," Lana ordered. "Stefan, will you let me stay?" she asked.

Stefan didn't answer until finally, he said, "Fine. But Klaus, you can't let them do anything."

"I'd hardly betray my sister's new sex-mate, thank you." Klaus smiled. Damon raised his eyebrow while Stefan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's right, Damon, Stefan has _moved on_." He said it with mockery.

Damon laughed. "Well, well, brother, it looks like you've taken a page out of my revenge-sex handbook!"

"Damon!" Lana snapped. "I _can _leave if I want, you know."

"Sorry," Damon mumbled.

"I'll let you guys enjoy your bonding time," Stefan teased and turned to Klaus. "I'll let you know when I get the dagger from Rebekah."

* * *

"Are you okay?" Lana asked carefully, rushing over to Damon after Klaus had slammed the cage door shut. He wheezed and finally nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine."

"Good," she said. "So what's going on?"

"I guess Elena and Jeremy are beating me to the punch about killing Kol Mikaelson," Damon said cheerfully. "It's a shame I won't be able to drive that stake through his heart."

"I wonder if you're mean by sport or if it's just a hobby," she admitted. "Damon, don't you _see_? His brother is about to die."

"His brother compelled me!"

"Yeah?" she challenged. "And if it was Stefan on the other hand? If Stefan had compelled someone to kill my brother, if I had one, wouldn't you be upset if I were plotting to kill Stefan? Granted, it's not really the same thing, but—"

"We've got more important things on our hands rather than brother-bonding!" Damon shot at her. "You don't understand!"

"I don't understand? The Cure? The thing that everyone wants and everyone thinks they can have?"

Damon nodded. "What do you mean _thinks_?"

She laughed. "Damon, do you think that this Cure is going to be a magic wand or a tattoo you put on a vampire to make them human again? Do you think it's going to be a vineyard of tiny little doses in a bottle? Do you think it'll be a recipe?" She took Damon's face in her hands. He flinched from the warmth. "Don't you see, Damon? Odds are, there's only _one _dose of the Cure."

Damon froze. "What?"

"One," she repeated. "A blind idiot could see there's probably only _one _dose of the Cure."

"Then Elena will have the Cure," Damon said. "And she'll be with Stefan, and I'll be with you," he whispered. "Isn't that what you want?"

She released her hands from his face. "You think I want you from rebound?"

He chuckled. "Lana, our whole _relationship _is built on the rebound!"

She stared at him, chuckling and grinning like a delusional idiot, and only shook her head. "Damon…"

She ran out of words to say to him. He was too blind. She walked over to the door but paused before she left. "Don't talk to me until you've figured out what I meant."

She left.

* * *

Lana sipped her drink on the couch upstairs in the loft, sitting on the couch parallel to Elena. Jeremy, Elena's brother, paced back and forth between them. Bonnie sat beside Elena. No one talked.

Finally, Jeremy sighed. "It didn't work," he said, exasperated.

"It will," Lana assured him in a calm voice. "It will."

Elena shot her a glare, but said nothing. Bonnie assured him, "It took time for Finn's line to die off, remember? It'll work," Bonnie said.

"What if it doesn't?" Jeremy asked. Then, Damon walked out from the hallway.

"Where's that Gilbert optimism?" Damon quipped as he walked out, a smile upon his face, his heart beating erratically. Elena stood up, but Lana sat on the couch, her legs crossed in her freshly-changed outfit and freshly-done hair. Elena had a smile that erupted across her face.

"Hi," Damon said to Elena. His eyes moved towards Lana for a minute, who was looking at Jeremy and assuring him things would be fine. Damon's heart sunk. But then, Elena pulled him into an embrace, and things were temporarily okay.

"Sorry I missed all the excitement," Damon said. Elena laughed.

"I'm just happy to see you." She sighed. Damon smiled, but then someone opened the door.

"Stefan," Lana exclaimed. She raced over to him with her vampire speed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Stefan assured her. "I'm fine," he told her again when her eyes bore more than just concern. "Promise," he said. She nodded.

"I'm sorry I wanted to stay with Damon," she whispered. "It was a bad idea."

"I don't blame you," he whispered. She nodded and he grabbed her hand and walked over to Jeremy, Bonnie, Elena, and Damon.

"Looks like I didn't miss much," he said carefully. Damon shot him a glare with Lana's hand in his. Damon's heart sunk and his anger rose.

Elena's eyes were fixated on their interlocked hands.

"I got the Silas headstone," Stefan said, setting down the heavy headstone on the table.

"We're just waiting for Jeremy's mark to grow," Elena said. "Did I…miss…something…" she trailed off. Stefan inhaled.

"Really long story, Elena," Stefan said. "Wait for the movie."

Elena shot back in her own steps. Stefan being….witty? To _her_?

_What's wrong? _She thought, her attention devoted to Damon. Damon shook his head.

Elena sighed. "Klaus is trapped in our living room," she said.

"Temporarily," Bonnie added. "I drew in the new moon to bind the spell. We've got three days to find the Cure. Four, max."

"If we don't, we might as well look up Katherine Pierce and see if she wants some company in hiding," Jeremy quipped.

"Katherine…?" Lana trailed off.

"Elena's doppelganger," Stefan answered. Lana sighed.

"Holy crap," she muttered. "There are _two _of them?"

"Klaus is going to come after us," Jeremy resumed. Elena turned around, ignoring the annoying girl's comment.

"We'll find it," she said. "Now that we've got Rebekah taken care of, all we need is Professor Shane and we'll have everything we need."

"Yeah…uh…I didn't…I didn't dagger her," Stefan said. Damon sighed.

"What?" Elena asked, surprised. "Why not?"

Stefan shrugged. "I didn't need to, she's on our side."

"On our side?" Elena questioned carefully. "Did you…Did you really just say that?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah. She handed over the headstone, I mean, she wants to find this cure more than any of us."

Elena resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Stefan because she was too stunned. "Why would you possibly think that you could _trust _her?"

"Let me guess," Damon intervened. "She pledged her allegiance to you while you were naked in the sac?" Damon stopped himself from smiling.

Elena was silent. Stefan hung his head and released his hand from Lana's. He pushed her behind him and stepped in front of his brother.

"I bet you were just _dying _to get that out, weren't you, Damon?"

"Oh, was it supposed to be a secret? Maybe you should've been a little clearer while you were bleeding me dry in our cellar!"

"Damon, _stop_," Lana pleaded. Damon looked at her.

"I'm sorry – are you talking to me now?" he asked angrily.

"Oh, so all of a sudden, you get Elena back and you turn into an asshole?" Lana questioned, now angered.

"All of a sudden, you grab my brother's hand _right _in front of me and tell him what a mistake it was being with me today?" he countered.

"It _was _a mistake!" Lana argued. "Besides, I'm _sired _to Stefan. I may love you, Damon, but I love him, too – just not as much."

"You're _sired _to Stefan?" Elena asked, her voice raising a million pitches higher.

"Yes, Elena, my brother and my girlfriend are sired to each other." Damon didn't bother correcting his title for Lana, but she did.

"I'm _not _your girlfriend, anymore, Damon, not until you realize what you've put me through!"

"Me?" Damon asked. "You fell in love with my brother!"

"At least I don't use the sire bond to sleep with her," Stefan countered, defending Lana. "Maybe we just have a little more self-control and actual _emotions _to not sleep with someone because of a sire bond, because, after all, you did it with Elena!"

Damon took his hand and punched Stefan square in the face, which resulted in Stefan fighting back.

"Stop it!" Lana screamed. "Stop! Stop!"

"Shut up!" Elena yelled. "Just shut up, you whining little _bitch_, before I—"

All of a sudden, it wasn't about the four of them anymore. Jeremy screamed loudly, his fingers tearing through his shirt, and before they knew it, right in front of their very eyes, the Hunter's mark began to grow.

"Here we go," Damon whispered.

* * *

**A/N: Decent amount for this chapter, I thought it was a little slow. I personally loved writing that scene with all four of them at the end, but I'd love to see Lana bitch-slap Elena. That would be fun! I must incorporate that in the upcoming chapters!**

**But, for now, I sadly must go work on my Time Capsule project – I've been putting it off for too long. Plus, the numbing is starting to go away and I feel much better! **

**Please go read my new story **Heavy In Your Arms **that I uploaded a couple days ago! ****It's doing well, but with your help, it can do better! And VOTE on my poll for the next story update (you can choose up to 2 stories per person!)**

**Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	20. XX

**A/N: Finishing that project didn't take me as long as I expected! Anyway, I'm done with the project so back to writing! Now we're off to find the Cure. **

**I'd love to write the episode from last night (because I already have it mapped out in my head) and I could. But, then again, you know I always feel I have to be safe and fall two episodes behind because otherwise, I could mess up (like I did on **Bittersweet**) and you'll never hear about this story again. *POOF!* **

**But it's a possibility, because I'm pretty sure that what I have in mind isn't going to affect next week's episode. **

**We'll see. If Nicole comes over this weekend or I go to her house…I don't know what she wants me to update… **

**Anyway…Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything about TVD, but I own this story, my writing, and the characters! Chapter based on ****_Into the Wild_****. **

* * *

**_XX_**

She stood in Damon's room, packing her things into a bag. Stefan had told her earlier that she could move into his room, seeing as she and Damon were…having _issues _at the moment. Lana didn't even realize what went wrong, but then she thought back to Damon telling her he would be with her when Elena went back to Stefan.

She didn't deserve the rebound. _She _was the one who loved Damon – not _Elena. _

Using her powers, she raced around the room and zipped up the bag in one instant. As she was about to walk out, Damon entered his room, a glass of bourbon in his hand, a smile upon his face.

"Hi," he said carefully, the smile fading. She nodded to him.

"Hi."

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Stefan's room," she said. "He told me I can stay in his room."

"We're leaving to go get Bonnie and take off for the island in an hour," Damon said. "You don't want to pack anything in a backpack?"

Lana cleared her throat. "Stefan's doing it for me while I take my stuff out of your room." Feeling snarky, she added, "I didn't think you'd want my clothes in here…you know, _considering_."

Damon sighed and moved closer to her. He reached down and touched her hand. She was about to jerk her fingers away, but she soon she realized he had only taken the bag out of her hands.

"I'm not _kicking _you out of my room, Lana," he said carefully. "We'll figure out the arrangements when we get back," he whispered and threw the bag on the bed.

"Why am I even going?" she asked. "You don't need me – none of you. I don't even know why I'm _here_."

"You're sired to Stefan," Damon said. She grimaced.

"Stefan doesn't _want _me sired to him," she told him carefully. "You know he's in love with Elena, not me."

"Fine," Damon admitted. All the earlier anger had vanished. He put his bourbon glass on the table and stretched out his hand. "Dance with me," he said.

"Damon…" she trailed off, unsure.

He didn't wait for her approval; he took her in his arms and pulled her close. She sighed and swayed with him to absolutely no music at all. Eventually, she gave up trying to be tense, stiff, and distant; ultimately putting her head on his chest and leading him lead her.

"I want you here," he whispered. "I want you to come with me to the island. You don't need to be there for anyone else but me."

"You don't want me," she said slowly. "I know who you want and it's not me."

"Lana," he said, trying to get something out. "I want to say I love you and I want to say that I might even love you more than Elena." He paused. "But all I can say right now is that I wish you came along before her, so I _could _say those things."

She shook her head. "You were so…_mean _today, Damon." She closed her eyes. "I don't know why you have to be so _mean _to Stefan. He's only trying to help." She paused. "You were mean to _me_, you were mean to your own brother. Can't you just forgive him and move on?"

"I'm sorry I was mean to you," he said. "But I can't say the same about Stefan, Lana. I know you have a sire bond to him, and I understand that, completely and fully. But our brotherly problems go all the way back to before we were turned." He tilted her chin up. "It has _nothing _to do with you." His feet swayed them back and forth.

"I'm torn in two," she said. "Damon, I _love _you. And I want you to love me back."

"And I do," he said, smiling lightly. "On some level. But not a level I can share with you." He paused. "Yet, Lana. You just have to give me time."

"Time I can handle," she said. "You and Elena…I can_not_."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said. "But Elena needs me right now. She's counting on this cure and I'm the only one who she understands."

Lana fell silent, but finally sighed. "I'm sorry," she blurted. "I don't mean to make this hard for you."

"No." Damon shook his head. "Don't feel _sorry_, darling," he told her. "I'm glad you told me how you really feel. Otherwise…"

She leaned forward and kissed him, cutting him off completely. When she pulled away, she nodded. "Thank you, Damon," she said, and released herself out of his grasp to walk away. Instead, he took her hand and spun her back to him.

"I'm pretty sure there's one thing you haven't tried as a vampire," he told her. "One _very _important thing you should experience before we go to an island where there are no actual beds."

Lana smiled, and neither of them had to say anything else. Both of them became consumed in a kiss, a kiss that was never-ending. The swaying stopped and, instead, Damon hoisted the vampire up on his body and pushed them back towards the bed. He got up only for one instant, using his fast powers, to slam the door shut, but finally returned back to the bed, where he pulled his lips back to Lana's.

* * *

They washed up on shore, the waves crashing with a sound that was irresistible. All of them pulled up the boats they had used to get on the island, the island far, far away from civilization. Damon and Lana shared an appreciative looked towards each other. Obviously, they hadn't made their encounter obvious, for the sake of Stefan and Elena's protectiveness and, somewhat, jealousy, but they hadn't left each other's side.

They hadn't spoken a word about what happened the earlier morning. Basically, both of them had gone back to their secretive ways before Stefan and Elena ever found out about Damon's abusive relationship.

Stefan didn't push. Elena didn't push. Things were…calm.

That is, until Elena pushed in the wrong direction: towards Rebekah.

The sun was not yet risen fully above the horizon, but the second they stepped onto dry land; both Rebekah and Elena went at it.

"You know," Stefan said as he watched Rebekah watch Elena, "you're not really helping."

"You're perfectly capable of tying a knot," she said.

"You giving Elena the evil eye, it's not really helping," Stefan clarified.

"She killed my brother," Rebekah started, "tried to get you to put a dagger in my back." Rebekah paused. "She's lucky all she's getting is the evil eye."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Elena said, stopping in the middle of her tracks.

Rebekah smiled. "You know I don't care, right?"

Elena dropped her backpack on the sand and sped over to Rebekah, grabbing the Original by her throat and holding the sharp white-oak stake at her heart. Rebekah acted quickly and threw Elena to the sand.

"Go ahead," Rebekah challenged. "Try and kill me. But then you'd have to face your real problems."

Rebekah's eyes flickered to Damon and Lana, who were standing by the sea, laughing. Instead of Rebekah pinning the "problems" on Damon and Lana, she said, "Like the fact that Stefan invited me to this island himself." Rebekah turned away. "I guess he likes me again."

Stefan held out his hand for Elena to take and get up, but instead, Elena pulled her body up by herself and began to walk away.

* * *

They stood at the coastline, their arms touching slightly. She was only wearing a light jacket, something that wasn't like Elena's – a big, puffy coat.

"You should've brought something warmer," Damon suggested. "Now I'll have to warm you up myself," he joked, not caring about the people who could hear them (because he was almost certain they couldn't).

Lana smiled. "We're vampires, aren't we?" she questioned and eyed Elena thrusting the white-oak stake into her backpack. "I don't know why she wore a freaking cotton ball to this island. It's not like we get cold," Lana said.

"It's a precaution," Damon soothed. "Rebekah wore a heavier jacket, too."

Lana snorted. "Not one that resembles a black cotton ball."

Damon couldn't help but laugh. "I missed you," he said carefully.

She smiled. "I've been here the whole time," she said. He shrugged.

"I wish I could've known _you_," he said. "The one I'm talking to now – not the one who I compelled to not be afraid of me." He paused. "_Were _you?"

"Was I what?" she asked, confused.

"Were you afraid?" he asked. "Of me. When you first met me?"

"I told you," she said. "I wanted to _help_."

"That wasn't an answer."

Lana thought about it for a minute. In normal circumstances, if they were in private, she could've kissed him to shut him up. Instead, she turned away. "I think you should go talk to Elena," Lana said, gesturing towards the angered vampire staring at Lana. "I think she's getting angry with me."

Damon grabbed Lana's hand, his own fitting in hers perfectly. "Don't leave me," he pleaded. "I want to know my answer."

"Damon…" Lana sighed. "I have to go see Stefan." She released her grip. "Talk to Elena. Please."

Words she thought never would come out of her mouth just did. She shuddered as she walked away – not from the cold air – but from the words she spoke.

"So it's you and Lana now, huh?" Elena asked as Damon approached her.

"Elena—"

"Don't, Damon," she told him. "Don't pretend like you _care_ anymore."

"Elena, where is this coming from?" Damon asked. "You know I love you, Elena, that'll never go away." _Well, maybe it's going away slightly. _

"And yet you still decide to talk to the slut who got turned into a vampire to hate me forever."

"Elena," Damon scolded. "Don't. I'm warning you."

"I'm warning _you_," she said. "Damon, this is supposed to be about _us. _You and me. That's it. I don't want another love triangle, I'm sick of them."

"Technically, it's a love _square_," he said, but decided it wasn't amusing from Elena's facial expression. "Elena, I feel for her. I feel something that I can't even explain. It would make me _very _happy if you _lay off_." He said the words with venom.

Her face relaxed, and she began to launch into how much she hated Rebekah, instead.

* * *

All of the supernatural beings got to moving down the island, depending on Professor Shane to lead them. Damon stood next to Lana, Elena stood next to Damon, Stefan stood behind Lana, and Rebekah beside Stefan.

Elena inhaled. "Is anyone else a little creeped out?" she asked.

"So then leave," Rebekah offered. "Out of everyone, your presence is the least necessary."

"Please don't start," Stefan begged Rebekah.

"I'm merely stating the facts," Rebekah said pointedly. "Jeremy has the spell on his body, Bonnie's the witch that unseals the Cure, Shane is the human compass." She looked at Stefan, "You and I have the tomb stone which does…God knows what. And Elena has no point."

"What about me?" Damon asked, offended.

"You have a nice behind!" Rebekah yelled over all the people. Damon shrugged carelessly, as if agreeing it was true.

"And I suppose I do, too?" Lana smiled. "Thanks, Rebekah."

"No, you're not here because you have a nice behind," Rebekah spat. "You're here for _two _reasons, one because you're sired to Stefan, and two because you're involved with Damon. Simple as that."

"So _she _can be here because of a sire bond and an involvement," Elena clearly implied that she has the same ordeal, "but _I _can't?"

"Well _she _isn't annoyingly overbearing, one, with the sire bond, and two with…well…_everything _else," Rebekah shot. Lana had to stop her chuckle from coming up her throat. Almost everyone else smiled except Elena.

* * *

Nightfall came, and they were still walking. Shane droned on and on and on about the Cure until they stopped.

"Is anyone paying attention?" Shane yelled. "First lesson of survival," he said as he threw a rock up into the air and a net caught it. A booby trap. Everyone stared, amazed. "Stay together," Shane instructed. "Keep your eyes open."

They continued until they saw a clearing. Lana wanted to talk to Damon, but Stefan had grabbed her and told her to come with him, instead. Lana sighed. "Stefan…"

"I'm not using the sire bond against you, I promise," he said. "But I need you to come with me. I don't want you getting hurt," he said seriously. She nodded.

"Okay," she agreed, and left Damon to set up a camp with Stefan. Minutes later, she walked out of the camp that they had set up and looked for Damon. She saw him, a little ways away from the campsite, talking to Damon. She wanted to walk over and…maybe break them apart? But, instead, she got to making a fire, as instructed to by Stefan. However, her eyes drifted back to Damon and Elena, who had now closed the space between them with a kiss. After the few-seconds long kiss, Elena pulled Damon into an embrace, and Damon hugged her back.

For the first time, though, Damon wasn't looking at Elena or thinking about Elena.

Damon was looking, and thinking, at and about _Lana_.

* * *

**A/N: That's all for this chapter! More of ****_Into the Wild _****in the next chapter. I think I have…what? Three more episodes until I'm ****_completely _****caught up with the show until next week? Assuming, that is, I want to do the most recent episode. **

**Hold on tight! Not many more chapters until the real pairing of this story get together! No, it won't be Stefan and Lana…**

**Two things: **

Read my new story Heavy In Your Arms please!

VOTE on the poll on my profile for the next story update! Two choices per-person!

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	21. XXI

**A/N: All you "I hate Elena" fans…get ready to scream with joy in this chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Continuation of ****_Into the Wild. _****Nothing about TVD is mine – this story, writing, characters, and plotline, however, ****_is _****mine.**

* * *

**_XXI_**

Damon walked over to Lana after Elena had told him she needed to go check on Jeremy. Her hair curtained her face as she leaned over the fire, trying to warm her hands. She was talking with Stefan, laughing with him actually. Damon couldn't help but smile as he saw her smile.

Damon approached her, and her head snapped towards him. He held out his hand.

"Walk with me?" he asked carefully. She hesitated, but eventually put her hand in his, without even looking back at Stefan. Fortunately, Stefan didn't say anything as they walked away.

"What's this about?" Lana whispered, low enough for only them to hear.

He shrugged. "Can't a vampire take another vampire out into the dark and creepy woods to admire the stars?" he teased. Lana laughed.

"Sure." She chuckled, her hand tightening on Damon's as they weaved through the trees. "Is that why you really brought me out here?"

He nodded, but added, "And I saw you looking at me and Elena earlier."

She fell silent. "Oh."

"Yeah," he said, and stopped them in their tracks when they were further into the forest. Damon had to make sure no one could hear them. "I wanted to apologize."

"It's okay," she said glumly. "I have to deal with it, Damon, I know I'm not the only one."

He chuckled. "For the past few days, you've been pushing me to make a choice," he remarked. "What changed?"

She shrugged and released herself out of his grasp and began to walk backwards, facing him and giving him a little smile. "I realized you needed time," she said simply. "And I'm okay if that time involves us being on…" she trailed off, searching for the right term. "_Good _terms," she finished.

He smiled at her and walked forward, but instantly, he sensed something off about this place. He looked down at the forest floor and saw an invisible trip wire, only visible to Damon's eyes in the particular light. Lana moved backward. "Damon…"

"Lana stop!" he shouted, but it was too late. She had tripped the wire with one single movement backwards. Almost instantly, Damon launched himself at her and pulled her back, letting his body break her fall so he was beneath her. She settled on top of him and looked back, watching as ten wooden stakes flew from both sides of the trees, almost accurate to the level of the heart.

When it was over, she could barely breathe. She could've _died_. Not died and come back as a vampire…literally _died_.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked carefully, his hands gripping her shoulders from underneath her. She nodded weakly.

"You…You saved my life," she said. He smiled sadly.

"Let's just call it even," he said quietly. "After all, I was the one who ruined your life in the first place."

"Damon…" She sighed. "You didn't ruin my life," she said.

"It's okay," Damon said. "You don't have to lie to me, Lana. I _did _ruin your life."

"Don't you see?" she questioned. Her voice wavered, still shocked from the reality she could've had if it weren't for Damon. "You did the exact opposite of ruining my life."

He stared at her for a minute, pondering whether she was lying or not. Damon saw it in her eyes – she wasn't lying.

He surged forward and pressed his lips to hers. She accepted it, and kissed him back with the same amount of intensity he had initiated. Her hands traced the curves of his face as he sat up, letting their position change from her hovering over him to her straddling his waist, practically sitting on him. He pulled her closer as they kissed, but finally pulled away. "Lana, I—"

"Damon?" someone called, maybe gasping from surprise. Damon and Lana turned their heads, not moving from their positions, to see Elena, standing at a tree not even ten feet away. Both of them were sure Elena had seen them kissing. Lana didn't mind…Damon, however, minded _very _much.

"Elena," Damon began. She turned away and used her vampire speed to race away. Lana got off of Damon and they both stood up and brushed themselves off. Taking her by surprise, Damon grabbed Lana's face, kissed her once, and then left, leaving her alone in the dark.

* * *

"Elena!" Damon called. Elena stood at a tree, gasping for air through her wheezes and tears. She cried, not even bothering to cry quietly. Her heart was broken in two.

"Elena," Damon said, finally catching up to her at the tree bark. He reached out to touch her, but she cringed away.

"No, Damon," she said carefully. "I saw you."

"I know," he said. "Elena, don't be upset," he pleaded.

Elena wiped her tears away and brushed the wetness of her hands on her jeans. Her frown turned upside down. "I don't even know why I'm crying."

"Elena…"

"_Obviously," _she continued, "it was a mistake. You love me…" she trailed off. "Right?"

Damon stared at her. "Yes…" he trailed off. "But—"

"No, Damon," she said. "You don't have to apologize. Actually, I'm sorry. I didn't even realize that it was one of those things. It's just that I've had a hard time lately. But I realize it was just a mistake. Why wouldn't it be, right?"

Damon gazed at her with wonder. Was she…_serious_? "You…You think I didn't mean to kiss her?"

Elena's face fell. "Well…yeah," she said. "Damon, you told me you'll never be able to love anyone else as much as you love me." She smiled, but he turned angry. "What's wrong, Damon? Did I upset you?"

"You're _unbelievable, _Elena," Damon said, practically spitting. But then, he laughed. "You think it was a mistake."

"Obviously—"

"No, Elena, it wasn't a mistake," he said quickly. "It wasn't a mistake. I meant to kiss her."

Elena paused. "What?"

"You're ridiculous!" He threw his hands up in the air. "So _you _can be in love with two people, but I can't?"

"Wait, you're in _love _with her?" Elena asked, her face turning sour.

"Yes!" Damon said, exasperated. "Yes, Elena, I'm in love with her."

He didn't even realize the words that came out of his mouth, but he didn't care. Yes, he was in love with Lana.

Looking at Elena now…he wondered why he ever loved her.

"I'm going to _rip _her throat out piece by piece," Elena growled and spun around. Damon grabbed her arm.

"No, you're not," he said, staring at her with disbelief. Maybe the Vampire-Elena he thought he wanted…_wasn't_ what he wanted. "You're not going to lay a finger on her, Elena, or so help me God, I will kill you."

"Oh, look at you!" Elena growled. "Now you're sticking up for the girl that you abused for God knows how long?"

It stung, but he continued. "Elena—"

"Elena!" someone said quickly. Damon and Elena turned around to see Stefan rushing towards them. "Elena, Jeremy's gone."

* * *

"Jeremy's not here, I'm going back," Rebekah announced after she and Stefan fought over Elena. Lana stood against a tree and watched as Rebekah stormed off. Stefan turned around.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Stefan said. Lana shook her head.

"I'm glad I got to see it," she said. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates Elena."

"Don't start," Stefan warned. "Not you, too."

"Well what do you expect from me?" Lana proposed. "Elena's a slut, and you know it, Stefan." She paused. "I don't know why you and Damon don't just _leave _her."

"Because we're in love with her, Lana," Stefan retorted. "Don't you see?"

She paused. "You of _all _people should be the one to leave," she said. "I can understand Damon, but you?" She hesitated. "You know what? Maybe I should go push Elena off a bridge – for _real _this time and make her die. Maybe then you and Damon will see what a waste of times she is."

"You try it and I'll rip your limbs off piece by piece," Stefan warned. "I'm serious."

"I have no doubt that you are," Lana said bravely. "But I'm wondering…"

"Don't. Don't wonder," Stefan said. "I'm done listening."

"No, you're done _talking_," Lana said back. She grabbed Stefan's arm. "All you care about is Elena when Elena doesn't even care about you."

"_Elena _is under a sire bond," Stefan retorted. "It's different. _She's _different."

"But, Stefan," Lana pleaded. "What if you could move on with your life. You have Rebekah now. Leave Elena and move on. I'm sure, after a while, Damon will realize that it's the right choice, too. Leaving Elena is the best thing you can do, especially after you get this Cure."

Stefan said nothing, so Lana assumed. "Do you…Are you expecting if Elena takes the Cure, she'll fall in love with you again?" Lana asked. "Because, Stefan, you'd be absolutely right." He was still silent. "But the difference is, this time, you can do something _different. _Leave Elena alone and all your troubles, her troubles, and the troubles of Mystic Falls go away."

She took her face in his hands. "You and your brother can be _happy_," Lana whispered. "Don't you want that?"

Stefan thought for a moment and eventually removed his hands. "We better get going," he said and turned away. Lana sighed and followed him, and for the rest of their travels, they didn't talk.

* * *

When they returned, Elena emerged from one of the tents. Stefan, Rebekah, and Lana stood side by side.

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "What are you talking about?" All of their faces were panicked.

"Well…Bonnie's not here and Shane's stuff is all gone," Elena explained.

More panic.

Rebekah gasped. "Oh my God," Rebekah whispered as she raced over to her things.

"What?" Lana asked.

"The tombstone," Rebekah said breathlessly. "The tombstone's gone."

* * *

Rebekah had left, leaving Stefan, Elena, and Lana alone. Lana shook her head. "Wait…then where's Damon?"

Elena got red in the face. "All you _ever _do is ask about Damon! Damon this, Damon that! It's not like it's enough you've had to whore around with him behind my back, but you felt it was necessary to make out with him right in front of me today?" Her eyes burned as she turned, her veins transparent beneath her eyes. "I should kill you right now!"

"Elena!" Stefan snapped, throwing himself in between Elena and Lana. "What the _hell _has gotten into you?"

"It's not what's gotten into me, Stefan, it's what keeps going into _her_," Elena growled.

"Elena, this isn't you," Stefan told her. "Now stop before I have to do something you won't like."

"Oh, of course," Elena spat. "Now it's _both _the Salvatores behind her back, right? Like it used to be with me?"

"Elena—" Lana began.

"No, you don't." Elena shook violently. "You don't _dare _talk to me, or I _will _rip your head off."

"Elena, shut up," Stefan yelled. "Go back into your tent and leave her alone. This has nothing to do with Damon! We have more important things to deal with right now."

Elena wanted to fight more, but instead, she turned away and eyed Lana before moving into her tent, where she saw Rebekah tearing through Elena's stuff, looking through everything, panicking.

"What are you doing in my tent?" Elena asked, coming in suddenly. Rebekah didn't care about being caught. She used her speed to race over to Elena and choked her with one hand.

"Where is the tombstone?" Rebekah yelled. "What have you done with it?"

"What…are…you…talking…about?" Elena managed to get out.

"Like it's not bloody obvious? All you people ever do is betray me and here you go again."

"Let her go." Stefan entered the tent. "She didn't take it," he said.

Rebekah released Elena, but she didn't seem happy about it.

"Was any of this real?" Rebekah questioned. "Was this just a…ploy to distract me while Shane ran off with the tombstone?"

Stefan blinked. "You think I would do that? You think I would let some _psychopath _run off with the Cure? Every single moment of my last one hundred and forty six years has been ruled by the pain of being a vampire."

Elena turned around at him and nearly gaped. _Pain? _Stefan continued regardless. "This cure ends that. It ends the guilt and it ends the suffering. You really think I would jeopardize that?"

"Fine," Rebekah agreed. "You didn't take it." She paused to look at Elena. "But that doesn't mean I trust her."

Elena bent down and grabbed the wooden stake from under her sleeping bag and held it out to Rebekah.

"I didn't take it, but here," Elena said. "Consider this a peace offering." She offered the stake to Rebekah.

"Don't you get it, Elena? There's no peace. We're all screwed!"

"Exactly, Rebekah, we're screwed. Bonnie's gone, Shane's got the tombstone, Jeremy's missing…who knows if Damon's coming back. So us three, right here—"

"Four," Lana stepped into the tent and stood next to Stefan. Elena grimaced.

"Us _four_," Elena corrected, "right here, this is all we've got. So we're either in this together or it's over. For all of us." Elena let her eyes flicker to Stefan. Elena held out the white-oak stake once more and Rebekah took it, but said nothing more.

* * *

Was Damon going to tell Lana that he loved her?

That's a good question.

He had to find the right time, of course, he wasn't just going to blurt it out in the middle of the forest as they were looking for Jeremy, literally right in front of Elena.

So, the day dragged on, Lana went with Stefan to help find Jeremy, and he never got to tell her.

And before he knew it, he was wandering off into the forest, pissed at Elena and pissed at the world, where he would unknowingly stumble upon another Vampire Hunter.

And then the Vampire Hunter would snap his neck, and everything would go dark.

* * *

**A/N: So…when do you think Damon will tell Lana? I hope you guys liked this chapter! Thank you for all the support! More soon…but keep voting on my poll!**

**And please keep going to read my new story ****_Heavy In Your Arms_****! I really appreciate it!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	22. XXII

**A/N: So…I figured out what I was going to do for Thursday's episode (well, _last _Thursday's episode). I was originally going to have Damon leave Lana behind and just go to NYC with Elena, but I'm not sure now. I'm kind of leaning towards Damon taking Lana with her. **

**Well, all will be revealed soon. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Based off of _Down the Rabbit Hole_. Nothing about TVD is mine, but my characters, plotline, and writing _are _mine. By the way, Vaughn's accent is a little hard to understand, so I may not have gotten the quotes EXACTLY right (and sometimes I cut them out. Seriously, his accent is SOO hard to understand!**

* * *

_**XXII**_

Damon was tied against a very non-welcoming tree, ropes soaked in vervain around his wrists, neck, and waist. He tried to get out of it, but it was useless. He felt numb to every limb in his body.

His Irish captor looked up at him. "Is something bothering you?" he asked in his devastatingly confusing accent. Damon grimaced.

"Would you believe me if I said mosquitoes?" Damon joked.

"Aye, I would." His captor paused. "How does it feel with a relentless tree draining the blood out of your veins?"

"Itchy," Damon responded. The Irish man looked back at him.

"Do your friends back in Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?" he asked.

"I see you know who I am and where I'm from." Damon paused to wiggle. "Have you been spying on me?"

"Aye, I have," the Irish man agreed. "You…and Stefan…Elena…that human that got turned into a vampire out of spite for Elena, Lana, whom in which you decided to proceed with." The man smiled and then continued. "Your witch, Bonnie, you need her to cast a spell to return your pal, Jeremy's Hunter's mark." The man paused. "The tattoo that looks exactly like this." He looked down at the tattoo he had on his arm.

"You want to know something, just ask," Damon said, straightforward.

"I've been killing vampires my entire life." Damon hummed at the story and the man continued. "Still, this thing refused to reveal itself to me. That is, until three days ago when it just magically completed for no apparent reason." Suspicion traced his voice.

Damon shut his eyes. "Come on, man, does it look like I know anything about tattoos?" Damon proposed. "Look at my skin." Damon paused. "It's flawless."

"Nah. You're not taking me seriously." The Irish man got up to look Damon in the eye. "I don't blame ya." The man brought out a very sharp crowbar with a sharpened tip. "You don't know me."

The Irish man put the sharpened bar to Damon's throat. "So let me introduce myself." Damon's captor thrust the sharp bar into Damon's throat, making Damon scream from pain of the blood that was being drawn.

"My name is Galen Vaughn; and you better start talking."

* * *

While Elena was on the phone, Lana stood with her arms crossed at her chest, looking out onto the ocean. The wind blew her hair back, making her face clear with acknowledgement.

_Damon left me. _

"Hey," Stefan touched Lana's arm carefully. She winced, but didn't do anything about it. Her head turned slightly to see him stand next to her. "Are you okay?"

Lana smiled. "Definition of okay?" she questioned.

Stefan scowled. "Is this about Damon?"

Lana sighed. "When is it not?" she countered. "But this is worse. It's not like he just left me for Elena or I caught him in bed with her again," Lana said. "He left. _Me." _

"I'm sure it's not like that," Stefan said. "Damon has a very nice way of getting himself kidnapped and gets in all different kinds of trouble," Stefan assured her. "He didn't leave _you_."

"Obviously, he did, or I wouldn't be stuck here."

Stefan chuckled. "Am I supposed to take offense?"

She turned to him. "You know what I mean," she said, and resisted the very, very strong urge to indicate who she was talking about. _Elena. _

Stefan paused. "Did you hear that?" he asked. Lana inhaled.

"What?"

"Elena," Stefan said. "What Elena just said?"

"What did Elena say?" Lana asked, inhaling largely.

"Lana, Damon didn't leave because of _you_," Stefan assured her. "Damon left because of Elena. She _just _said it – they had a fight." He paused. "Remind me when we get back home to teach you how to hear from a far distance."

However, despite Stefan's attempt to make her feel better, Lana just frowned. "He _left_. Without me."

Stefan opened his mouth to say something, but Elena had already announced that Caroline was going to find the sword and help them with the translation.

* * *

Rebekah tried to get signal by walking up and down the beach, but ultimately, it was failing. Lana and Rebekah stood, far ways from the beach, trying to find the source of signal. The new vampire eyed Elena and tried to focus on the conversation she was having with Stefan, but the waves drowned the sound out.

Rebekah caught the vampire tried, and failing, to listen in. The Original smiled. "Jealous?"

Lana looked up at Rebekah. "Yeah," she admitted. "Like you aren't?"

"Please," Rebekah scoffed. "One wrong move and I tear her heart out." Rebekah paused. "But you…I don't understand why you're upset."

"Why _wouldn't _I be?" Lana asked. "She's in love with Damon, keeps _ruining _my relationship with him, and when I have a sire bond to Stefan, it's 'Bitch, I'm going to rip your throat out'." Lana frowned. "And yet _she _has a sire bond to Damon."

"Elena thinks she can do anything in the world and get away with it." Rebekah shrugged. "I just retaliate by threatening to kill her once in a while and it normally shuts her up."

"What really bothers me is the way she thinks she's so in love with Damon," Lana continued. "I mean, she _knows _she has a sire bond. She knows it affects the way she acts. Am I the only one here recognizing that 'act' and 'feel' is practically the same thing?"

"A sire bond is difficult," Rebekah said. "Yeah, Elena thinks she's in love with Damon. She promises to love him when she's human, but ultimately, she will go back to Stefan." Rebekah paused to smile. "And Stefan will remember that she had broken his heart, more than once, and come running to me, Elena will end up alone, and you can have Damon all you want."

Lana glanced over to Stefan and Elena again, where Elena had just made a move on Stefan, putting her had on his thigh – somewhat friendly. Both Rebekah and Lana grimaced and walked over to intrude on the lovely party of two.

* * *

"Mind telling me where I'm going?" Damon proposed to Vaughn as they trudged through the forest.

"The wishing well, that leads directly to a crypt. In the crypt lies Silas. With Silas lies the Cure, which allows me to kill Silas and put the mission of the Brotherhood of The Five to an end. You're my leverage, Damon. I use you to get your witch-friend to open the path to Silas's crypt to me."

Damon chuckled. "Wait a minute. You're using me to get to Bonnie Bennett?" Damon stopped. "Whoa, brother," he laughed, "you picked the _wrong _vampire."

"Well I guess we'll see about that."

"Here's the deal, Shrek," Damon remarked. "My witch-friend will open the passage for you – no leverage necessary. "We don't care about Silas. All we want is the Cure. So you cut us in on your share, we'll get out of your hair." Damon teased.

"You really don't understand, do you?"

"No, I don't understand," Damon snapped. "So why don't you explain it?"

"Silas is immortal," Vaughn responded. "I have to cram the Cure down his throat in order to kill him."

"Yeah, what does that have to do with me and my friends?" Damon asked curiously, seething on the outside.

"_I _need to use the Cure against Silas. Your friends – they can't exactly have it now, can they?"

"So you use it on Silas and we'll use it for whoever wants to use it!" Damon smiled. "You don't want to share it with us?"

"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."

"And why can't you share it."

Vaughn paused. "So it is written," Vaughn dragged, suspenseful. "There is only one dose."

* * *

Damon wasn't going to accept being pushed around once more time. "Touch me again…"

"And you'll what?" Vaughn proposed. "Threaten me? Sorry if you're upset about the Cure, Damon."

"I don't care about the cure! Frankly, I don't know why anyone _wouldn't _want to be a vampire. You know what? If I wasn't a vampire, I wouldn't be able to do nine of the things I'll be able to do you to you when I'm free." Vaughn pushed him forward more. Damon grimaced. "Make that ten."

"Aye."

Vaughn smiled, but said nothing. Eventually, Damon paused at a tree and hung on to it for dear life. "All right, I admit. My friends want the Cure, and I want them to have it. And I get very upset when I can't provide for my loved ones," Damon said angrily. "So tell me something, Vaughn, if all you're worried about is Bonnie the teenage witch, then why'd you save Jeremy and Elena yesterday?"

"How did I do that?"

"Big guy – white paint all over him? Stuck a hatchet in his spine?" Damon jogged Vaughn's memory. Vaughn raised his eyebrows.

"Don't remember doing such a thing," Galen brushed it off.

"We're on a remote island. There's you, me, and a bunch of unpleasant locals. You expect me to believe that _someone else_," Damon paused and walked closer, "took out that monster truck of a human being that went after Jeremy and Elena?"

"I'm telling you," Vaughn said seriously. "It wasn't me."

Galen pushed Damon forward, and Damon stumbled into a bush. The scent of blood filled his lungs and he looked over the bush to see a dead body, the person's throat slashed. Damon looked at the Hunter behind him. "That you?"

"No," Vaughn answered. "You?"

Damon almost laughed. "No," he said instead.

Vaughn just looked down at the dead body with wonder and displease. He looked around the island and muttered, "Well I reckon there _is _someone else on this island," he said.

Damon looked around and thought to himself – _you've _got _to be kidding me. _

* * *

"What did Caroline say?" Elena inquired to Rebekah.

"I don't know. We lost the signal. Come on," Rebekah led. "This way."

She led them to a cliff with a lake in the center, glistening in the sunlight. "We need to get down and across. The advantage of vampires – all we have to do is jump."

"Wait, wait, um…" Elena trailed off, unsure. "Maybe you should leave the map behind." Elena said. "...In case you fall. You don't want anything to happen to the phone."

Rebekah glared at her. "Are we doing this again? I thought we were a team."

Stefan shut them up. "Guys, guys," he intervened. "We don't have time for this. Elena, you go first," Stefan said. "We'll be right behind you," he told her. A look of panic crossed her face, but she relaxed, got a head start, and jumped from the cliff down to the bottom. Lana looked over the edge and muttered, "Damn. I guess that won't kill a vampire."

Stefan, and Rebekah, refused to laugh, although it was quite funny. Stefan got ready to jump, but Rebekah held him back. "There's something you should know about the Cure," Rebekah said to both of the vampires beside her. Lana and Stefan glared at her with confusion.

* * *

"So you're sure that Klaus is telling the truth?" Stefan asked the blonde Barbie. "That there's only one dose of the Cure?"

She nodded glumly, her lips tight.

"Well I guess that's what happens when you're dumb enough to hold out hope," Stefan muttered.

"Well…" Lana sighed. "I kind of knew that all along, I'm just mentioning this for…you know…a reference."

Rebekah ignored her, not that she didn't care…she just didn't want to talk about it right now. Lana hadn't been through what they all had – the pains and cruelty of living thousands of years.

"There's still hope for one of us," Rebekah said. "But…even if I felt pity for you – if I wanted to ease your pain so I gave you the Cure to take for yourself, you'd give it to Elena, wouldn't you?"

Stefan fell silent. Lana didn't say anything.

"That's what I thought," Rebekah mumbled. "Well…I'm sorry that it couldn't work out the way we all wanted it to," Rebekah said suspiciously. Stefan turned his head, but it was too late. Rebekah had snapped his neck.

Rebekah's red eyes glared at Lana. "Will you give Elena the Cure?" she asked with venom in her voice. Lana tilted her head.

"Well…maybe not…but then again, I do want her unsired to Damon, so..." Lana trailed off, but held her hands up in the air. "Listen, I don't need my head snapped. I won't follow you," Lana said. "Promise."

Rebekah deciphered for a moment, but then eventually realized that Lana was telling the truth; so she fled, and Lana didn't follow her.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I didn't get this to you sooner. I tried to get it in last night, but I had to watch Once Upon a Time and if I didn't watch it, I would be in a complicated mess…**

**But anyway, here you go. Um…more soon! But I have to take a shower and tonight is Bones and Secret Life…**

**More soon – promise. Probably tomorrow, though! Hold out a little longer – I promise you that a pair will get together that I'm sure you've wanted since…well…the beginning of the story!**

**Thank you for all the reviews! I so appreciate it!**

_**Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!**_

_**Love, **_

_**KatherineSalvatore1918**_

_**X**_


	23. XXIII

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated this, I've been away. But I'm back and ready as ever for you all to make my day! **

**Enjoy…By the way, if you like **The Host, **I've uploaded a new FanFiction for it!**

**And, sadly, deleted more than half of my old ones. It's okay, though, because I just didn't want my whole account to be filled with horrible writing. **

**Oh, and be on the lookout for two more stories! One a **Supernatural **AU FanFiction and the other a **Supernatural **and **The Vampire Diaries **crossover FanFiction!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine besides the writing and my character's plotline. **

* * *

**_XXIII_**

Stefan drank the blood from the package as if it was gold in a bag. Elena glared at Lana, who paced back at forth. Finally, Lana had enough.

"What?" Lana snapped.

Elena glared. "You. Let. Her. Go."

Lana grimaced. "As opposed to what? Letting her snap my neck off?" Lana snickered. "_You're _the one who wants the Cure, Elena, _not_ me. Personally, I like my neck unsnapped!" she said angrily.

Elena's eyes flashed red. "Well then you're going to hate what I have in store for you!" Elena growled.

"Elena," Stefan snapped, finally coming down from the blood that gave him life. "Stop. There was nothing she could do." Stefan sighed. "Bigger fish to fry, Elena."

Elena said nothing in return, but her eyes still showed anger. She looked back at Stefan, her eyes filling with tears. "There's only one Cure?" Elena asked. "You're sure, Stefan?"

Stefan nodded glumly.

"I can't take it, I mean, not above everyone else who deserves it just as much as I do…" Elena trailed off, confused. She sighed. "It's over," she said.

"I'm sorry," Stefan mumbled. Lana stayed quiet.

"Don't be, I mean, it's a blessing in disguise," she muttered.

Stefan tilted his head. "How so?" he asked.

Elena looked at him regretfully. "Things changed the minute I went off that bridge, Stefan."

Lana sighed. "Yes, Elena. Something changed." Her eyes burned with fury. "It's this little thing called Damon's blood in your system that created a sire bond." Lana eyed her with curiosity. "You _still _don't understand it, do you?"

"Lana," Stefan snapped. Lana didn't want to take it anymore.

"No, Stefan, I'm _done_," she said angrily. "I'm _tired _of listening to this bitch whine and moan and bitch and moan about her stupid _sire bond_!"

"You're bonded to Stefan," Elena countered.

Lana glared. "Yes, Elena. I'm bonded to Stefan." She walked forward. "But I _still _was able to come out of that sire bond, out of the _love _I was feeling" –she paused to look Elena in the eye—"I've _felt _it, Elena. It's…." she trailed off, "overwhelming."

Elena looked down slightly and Lana continued. "But _I, _not a doppelganger, nothing _special_, was able to overcome my feelings to be with the one I truly, truly loved." She paused. "You, on the other hand, don't want to, and _can't_, because you're _weak_."

"That's _enough_," Stefan snapped and got up from his position. He looked at Lana. "Stop it, Lana. Stop."

She had no choice, she listened, but she still glared.

"You were saying, Elena?" Stefan prompted. Elena sighed.

"Even if I could be human again, I wouldn't be the person that I was," she said softly. "So it's about time I accept the person that I am now and figure out a way to start living the rest of my life."

"Rest of your life," Stefan said. He glanced over at Lana, whose face had relaxed. He thought he saw sympathy…or maybe a bit of empathy. He couldn't help the words that came out. "Sired to Damon," Stefan finished.

Elena took a breath, and Lana could tell what she was thinking. _I love Damon, Damon's all mine, Damon's in love with me, _blah, blah, blah.

"I guess I'll have to deal with that when I get home," Elena said. She paused when a revelation came. "Oh my God. Home. Klaus. Bonnie's spell isn't going to hold him."

Stefan sighed. "Yeah, and after what we did to Kol, if we don't ram that Cure down his throat, he'll kill us all."

"Pity party over," Lana called. "We have to go, I'm assuming," she said, already halfway into the trees.

* * *

Vaughn held them both at gunpoint. Damon, being Damon, had to put a quip in. "Are we going to dance or are we going to play?" he quipped.

"You know he can't hurt me, Damon. Unless he's got the White Oak stake," Rebekah mumbled beside him.

"Oh, he doesn't," the Hunter agreed. "But he's got other toys." The gun fired off three times with wooden bullets, but that wasn't near enough to injure Rebekah. She fled over to him, but he _did _have other toys.

A wooden bullet grenade was lodged in her core, and when it went off, Rebekah fell to the ground, not dead, but not strong to continue.

Damon tried defending himself, but it only ended up in a head-butt and a nasty toy around his neck that almost pulled his head off.

"Damon!" someone shouted. Just like that, Vaughn was gone, down the hole, into the pit of the Cure.

Stefan tried to pry the tie off of Damon's neck, but Damon insisted. "You're wasting time. Go get the Cure."

Elena shook her head. "We're not just going to _leave _you here," Elena argued.

"No, we aren't," Stefan agreed. "You go get the Cure, we'll be right behind you," Stefan said to Elena. "Go," Stefan instructed.

Reluctantly, Elena went. Stefan looked at Lana, who shook her head.

"No," she said sternly. "I'm staying."

"Go," Damon barked. "Lana, _go_."

"_I _don't want the Cure!" she argued and stepped forth. Then she and Stefan began to get the tie off of Damon's neck, which was a very large hassle.

When it was off, Damon's neck and hands bloody with his own DNA, Stefan panted. "All right, come on. We have to catch up," Stefan instructed. Damon shook his head.

"No, it's okay," Damon assured him. "I just need a minute. I'm only going to slow you down. Go." Damon panted, his eyes half-closed. "She only needs one of us." Damon jerked his head towards Lana. "And…you."

"I'm not going anywhere you aren't," she said adamantly. Stefan glared at her, but he knew she wasn't going to listen to him. He didn't want to have to make the decision for her.

"She only needs one of us," Damon insisted.

"And, what? You don't care to be that one anymore?" Stefan proposed. "You finally decided it was easier to just walk away?"

"There's only one dose of the Cure, Stefan," Damon argued. "If she wants to take it, you want her to. I don't. Just do what makes her happy, Stefan."

"Things have changed. It's not that easy anymore."

"It is right now. Get your ass down the well, help Elena get the damn thing, and take Lana with you."

"What part of _no _do you not understand?" Lana growled.

"Every part!" Damon growled. "Help. Her."

"No." Lana shouted.

Damon sighed. "Come on," he urged. Stefan hesitated for a moment before leaving to drop down the well.

Damon looked up at Lana, his eyes full of blood that dripped down everywhere. "You?" he asked. "Will you do what I ask? For once?"

"I'm not the girl to compel anymore, Damon," she said. "And Stefan's gone now; he can't use the bond against me." She moved to sit next to him, brushing off her hands. "Are you all right?" she asked.

He groaned. "Let's see? Blood everywhere? Feel like crap?" he taunted. "Just peachy, darling."

She frowned. "Do you need something?" she asked. "I think we have blood somewhere in Stefan's bag," Lana offered.

Damon nodded. "Please," he said. She nodded back.

"I'll be two minutes," she told him, and just like that, she was gone.

* * *

He pulled the wooden stakes out of Rebekah's back piece by piece, groaning as he did it. When they were all out, Rebekah's blood coating his own, he rolled over and groaned of pain. Rebekah woke up, coughing.

"You're alive," she said, panting.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you go with them?" Rebekah questioned.

Time for a quip. "Needed a Siesta," Damon joked.

"You gave up, didn't you?" Rebekah asked.

"I didn't _give up_." He groaned and got up to a sitting position, despite the pain. "I just realized…you can't control everything. No matter how hard you try. Let's just say I made peace with that fact."

"Peace?" Rebekah asked. "You love Elena. You always will. She becomes human; she may not feel the same way about you. Meanwhile, you have someone that loves you, loved you even when she was a mere human under compulsion, and you can't even recognize that maybe, _just _maybe, she could be better than Elena."

Damon raised his eyebrow. "You know all of that _how_?"

Rebekah smiled weakly. "Word gets around," she joked, but then laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot the most important part. The reason you can't be with her is because you and your brother are so hell-bent on the Petrova doppelganger line, that you can't see straight." She laughed bitterly. "What the _hell _is so damn interesting about them, I'll be damned if I found out." Rebekah paused. "You'll never have peace."

Damon shrugged carelessly. "Life sucks," he said. "Get a helmet." He paused. "As for Lana…" he trailed off. "We're complicated. All I want is for her to be happy." His voice dropped. "And I don't want her to be with me."

Damon looked, in words, like hell. "I don't want to ruin another girl's life."

Rebekah smiled. "You did something selfless, Damon," she said. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're becoming a halfway decent person," she complimented. He smiled lightly before someone interrupted.

"Damon?" Lana bursted into the caves, rushing in vampire speed. "Damon, I'm so sorry…Stefan drank all the blood…" Lana turned to see Rebekah. "Well, because of _her_."

Rebekah shrugged. "I don't need any," she said, getting up, groaning. "I bounce back twice as fast as a regular vampire does."

She got up and sighed, walking over to the well. "I'll see you on the other side."

* * *

When she was gone, Damon and Lana looked at each other. "Damon…I'm…I'm not human," she said. "I don't know how to help you…I…"

Damon grasped her hand. "It's okay," he said. "I'll just have to let it work its own magic, sweetheart." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, even though it was smeared with his blood. He was too delusional and weak to care. "Thank you," he said.

"There must be some way," she whispered. "Something, Damon."

He shook his head. "The way I'm thinking of isn't for _now_," he said, a smiling coming onto his face. "It's more of a privacy thing."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm almost afraid to ask," she said. Damon didn't say anything in return, and he didn't plan to. He didn't want to tell her, because he didn't want to do it. He was afraid that it would ruin everything.

But he didn't have to tell her, she guessed, all by herself, and a nod came to her head. "You told me about it. You did it with Elena, didn't you?"

He sighed. "And about a dozen other vampires out there," he said. "To me, it's not as sacred as other vampires." Damon shook his head. "I don't want you to do it, okay?" he told her. "Let me get healed by myself. It'll only take a couple hours," he promised.

She shook her head. "No," she said. "I _want _to help."

"Lana…"

He couldn't stop her as she tore her own teeth through her flesh and opened up a wound with bite marks. He couldn't stop her as she put it to his mouth and let him taste the rich blood that flowed down his throat.

At first, it was calm and just a little drop here and there, a drop of sheer pleasure. Then, when his strength began to build, his hands raised and he grabbed hold of her wrist and secured it to his mouth. She groaned as he drank, and drank, and drank.

Lana could remember the feeling – the _buzz_ – she'd get when Damon drank from her as a human. But nothing – _nothing – _compared to the pleasure, the _high_, if you will, that this was causing her. Damon drank, his tongue savoring every drop and the blood flowing down his throat so effortlessly, it was as if he had done it a million times before.

A minute later, he pulled back. He wasn't strong enough to conquer the world, but he was strong enough to rise.

And he did, and as he did so, he brought his lips to hers and they tasted his blood and her blood in his mouth. She pulled away. "Damon, stop," she told him. "Now's not the time or place," she breathed out. He nodded.

"I know," he said. "It's…overwhelming," he told her, smiling. She nodded.

"Yeah," Lana agreed. "I got that."

She grabbed his hand. "Let's go," she told him, and they jumped down the rabbit hole. Together.

* * *

**A/N: So…again, sorry about the delay. I hope you guys liked it though! Going to bed now, but ****_Stand by Me _****is next…what's going to happen in that chapter...? Oh…it's going to be good!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	24. XXIV

**A/N: Oh. My. God. I am so sick and tired of all these people on Twitter trying to trend Delena. Like, EXCUSE ME? **

**Why? Like, why? I mean, Damon is so hot! I would rather have him to myself than with that hoe bag. She ****_really _****gets on my nerves. **

**Well, ****_Elena _****hasn't gotten on my nerves since 4x17, because I just ****_love _****her now! But, you know, unfortunately she just has to go back to being a whiny selfish bitch. **

***EXHALE* Sorry for that rant…**

**I'm SOOOOOO sorry I haven't updated in such a long time! I recently saw The Host and (even though I read the book before) I just fell in love with it (all over again) and HAD to make a Fan Fiction. It's doing really, really well! Like, even better than this story, which is ****_rare_****. You guys have been with me for a ****_long _****time and I appreciate it so much! Thank you for hanging in!**

**But I'm back! I had originally wanted to publish this sooner, but my computer crashed, and with it went 2,000 words for this chapter. So I had to rewrite it ****_all _****over again. **

**I'm going to try to get done with ****_Stand by Me _****by tonight's episode. Tomorrow, I'll definitely try and do the next episode and may even get to ****_Because the Night _****by the end of this weekend! We'll see how it rolls out! **

**If you do, by chance, like ****_The Host _****or ****_Divergent, _****make sure to check out my stories on them! I have one for each, and my ****_The Host _****story is really, really popular (and some people say it's good…I can't be the judge on that), but I need more followers and things on ****_Divergent_****. Even if you don't read the series, you can go read either story – they're AU! **

**Thank you, and onto the story! Enjoy, my lovelies! This is going to be a long chapter because I'm trying to fit this entire episode into one to make up for all the time I didn't update! Hang on, tight, you're about to get shaken during the next installment! **

**Disclaimer: Episode based on ****_Stand by Me_****, and it is not mine. Only my characters and plotline can be titled as mine. BY THE WAY! DO YA'LL LIKE MY NEW COVER FOR THIS STORY?! (The girl on the bottom is who I imagine Lana to look like…)**

* * *

**_XXIV_**

Lana, Damon, and Stefan watched from afar as Elena rocked back and forth, tears down her cheeks, mumbling over Jeremy's lifeless body. It created a hole in Lana's heart, not from seeing Elena, but seeing the pain it caused her. Damon grabbed Lana's hand tighter, as if to assure it would be okay. He didn't know. She didn't know.

"How'd this happen?" Damon whispered to Stefan, confused and angered. Stefan sighed.

"It was Katherine. She must've been following us this whole time," Stefan responded.

"What about the Cure? Or Silas?" Damon questioned.

"If there was anything in there at all, it's all gone."

Damon paused. "Where the hell is _Bonnie_?" Damon snapped.

"I have no idea," Stefan said. _This is so helpful! _Damon snapped inside his mind. "She went looking for Jeremy last night – she never came back." Stefan inhaled after saying all of that in one breath. "Damon, Elena's in there waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life."

Damon blinked. "Fine," he said. "We'll wait with her." _And then we'll figure out what to do with our damn lives! _

"Damon, listen to me," Stefan whispered sternly, stopping Damon in his tracks. Lana was off to the side, watching as Damon and Stefan fought it out. Stefan continued. "Jeremy was one of the Five," Stefan recalled. "A Hunter."

"A Hunter?" Lana whispered to Stefan. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"The Gilbert ring can bring back the lives of those killed by the supernatural," Stefan explained quickly. "But…"

"He's supernatural," Damon said in a daze.

Lana understood. "Which means," she said carefully. "The ring won't bring him back?"

Since neither Stefan nor Damon said anything, she proved her statement true.

"She won't survive this," Damon said quickly. The thought passed through all three of them. Heightened, emotional Elena just lost the only family she had.

This wouldn't end well.

"I'll find Bonnie," Damon decided. He looked back and forth to Lana and Stefan. "You two get Elena off this island."

He moved away, but Lana shook her head. "No, Damon, I'm coming with you."

"Just _once_," Damon snapped. "Do what I tell you. We don't have _time _for this," he hissed. Lana didn't flinch. She only reached out to grab his hand.

"No, Damon, she's right," Stefan admitted. Damon gave him the death look, as if to tell his brother to take it back. He didn't want Lana on the same island as a psycho immortal who just killed Elena's brother. But, this was the reason Stefan wanted her to stay. "It's too dangerous for you to be on this island alone."

"So you're going to let _her _come with me?" Damon hissed, turning back to Stefan. "Don't you love her, too?"

"This isn't about _love_, Damon!" Stefan snapped. "This is about your safety—"

"Just _shut up_," Lana instructed, the words implied from Damon slipping past her as if it was mere wind. "Just _stop_." She turned to Damon, who looked at her with burning eyes. "We're in this together, Damon," she clarified. "I'm going with you."

Stefan didn't say a word to protest. Damon huffed.

"Damn it," he snapped. "_Fine_."

Lana turned to Stefan. "Be careful?" she said to him. He nodded.

"Yeah," he said back. "Of course. You, too."

Lana looked at him for a moment before disappearing with Damon down the cave.

* * *

They were mostly silent as they checked their earlier campsite to see if Bonnie had returned. Lana was afraid to push her luck. Damon was scared to say something. He didn't even know he'd slipped up until he thought back to what he said. He basically blurted out his feelings, and he wasn't talking to her.

"Are you going to be mad at me for the rest of eternity?" Damon quipped.

Lana cut him a sideways glance. "Who says I'm mad?"

Damon shrugged. "You seem mad."

She sighed. "I seem mad because you're such an asshole," Lana muttered. "Why won't you just accept the fact that I don't want to lose you, so I'm not going anywhere without you?"

Damon sighed. "I think that's unfair," he said, checking a tent. "You shouldn't have to live your life around me."

Lana shrugged. "Maybe I shouldn't," she admitted. "But it _is _my choice, isn't it? I'm not sired to you. I don't have to do that."

Damon laughed lightly. "Are you going to throw that in my face for the rest of our lives?" he asked, giving her a smile. She grinned back.

"I'm merely stating the truth," she confessed. She grabbed Damon's hand, feeling the need to envelop herself in his warmth. "Why did you think I was angry, Damon?" _You know I love you, _she thought, but didn't say it out loud.

He shrugged. "Honestly?" he prompted. She nodded. "I thought you were regretting…what we did back there."

Lana blinked. "You thought…You thought that I…Damon." She sighed, unable to come up with words. "You know I love you, why would I regret giving you my blood?"

This was it. He was going to say it. He was going to say it now. He wanted to say it to her. Here goes… "Lana, I—"

"Shh!"

She silenced him, taking him off guard. Lana took her hands from his and listened closely. She could hear something…

Damon said it first. "Unless you're a blonde, a Bennett witch, or a doppelganger, I suggest you steer clear," Damon warned, obviously hearing the noise. Both Lana and Damon moved to the shed in front of them and opened the door carefully. It creaked loudly.

Damon looked inside of the shed, shielding Lana with his body. But next to him, Damon heard a twig snap. His head turned to the side and Rebekah was beside him, her expression murderous.

"Where is it?" she questioned angrily. "The Cure? I know someone has it."

"Yes someone," Damon admitted.

"Katherine," Lana informed Rebekah. Rebekah raised her eyebrows.

"Katherine? The doppelganger?"

"Yeah. Sneaky little bitch must've been spying on us for weeks." Damon looked around and his glance returned to Rebekah. "She killed Jeremy." He paused. "Or somebody did."

Rebekah's eyes lowered to the ground in pity.

"He killed your brother. Let's not with the fake sad face," Damon said, disgusted.

"I didn't say I was going to miss him. But I'm not heartless. He was Elena's only family," Rebekah retorted.

"Good, well you can send flowers," Damon quipped. "After you help us find Bonnie."

"We need to find Katherine," Rebekah protested.

"If there's one thing that's a guarantee in this miserable little world is that Katherine Pierce is _gone_," Damon snapped. "We need to find Bonnie."

He led Lana with him towards the woods, where it would most likely be their best bet. "And beware of the Immortal Silas. If he was asleep in that cave, he's awake now," Damon warned and walked off into the woods. Rebekah joined him and Lana after a few moments of hesitation.

* * *

"Do you think Bonnie's dead?" Rebekah questioned to Damon.

"Never thought I'd say this, but I hope not," Damon admitted. Lana looked surprised.

"You don't like Bonnie?" she asked him. Damon shrugged.

"Eh. She's _all right_." He paused. "For a Bennett witch."

"I don't like being out in the open like this," Rebekah complained.

"What?" Damon laughed. "Afraid of the big, bad Silas?"

"No…" Rebekah protested.

Damon smiled. "Scaredy cat…" Damon sang.

"I'm not a scaredy cat!" Rebekah defended. "My brother Kol drove himself _mad _worrying about Silas rising. It would benefit us all to be a bit concerned." She paused. "And you're one to talk about being afraid, you're so scared, you're twelve hundred miles away from where you're supposed to be!"

"Hey, somebody needed to find Bonnie," Damon defended himself. Lana was quiet through all of this.

"Stefan could've done that," Rebekah protested. "Or even _her_. She's strong enough by now." Rebekah paused. "Aren't you Elena's current love?" She sighed. "It's _so _hard to keep track these days." Rebekah glanced over to Damon, who had his gaze on the forest floor and Lana, who was looking off into the distance. "Oh, nope. Sorry, I got this mixed up, didn't I? Elena's in love with you, you're in love with Elena, this girl's in love with you, and you don't know what you feel, am I right?"

"Don't go sticking your nose into a place it doesn't belong, Rebekah," Lana snapped.

"But it _is _my business! I _invented _this love box!" She snickered. "Meanwhile, Stefan's in love with you, _Lana, _and you're in love with Stefan, while being in love with Damon at the same time." Rebekah paused for a moment. "But I'm pretty sure you love Damon more than you love Stefan. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty positive." Rebekah gave a light shrug. "Aren't you supposed to be comforting Elena? Or are you terrified about being there when she realizes her brother's dead—"

"Hey!" Damon grabbed Rebekah and planted her in front of himself to shield him from the oncoming wooden arrow.

Rebekah choked, "Ow."

"Sorry," Damon apologized. "Better you than me," he said carelessly and let her drop down to the ground. She would recover. In front of Damon, a few feet away, Galen Vaughn stood in a stance, shooting his arrow from his crossbow. He shot again and Damon caught it in his hand as it just brushed the side of his face. In milliseconds, Damon and Lana were gone from that spot, and Vaughn rushed after them. Damon tackled Vaughn when he was close enough and wrestled with him with the help of Lana beside him.

"Just the guy I want to see!" Damon raved once Vaughn's hands were crossed to his chest so he couldn't move. "Not really," Damon admitted and slammed Vaughn's head against the back of the ground.

Vaughn fell unconscious and Damon relaxed.

* * *

The knife was buried into Vaughn's throat, but in a vein that kept the blood flow slow.

Damon spoke to him, pissed off. "Here's the thing. I was completely willing to accept the fact that you were one man on a lonely mission to kill ol' Silas, and then, I got _boned _by my vixen nemesis, Miss Katherine Pierce." Damon paused. "And then I start thinking 'there's _no _way that this is a coincidence', so, what do you know?"

Vaughn groaned when Rebekah turned up behind Damon.

"Took you long enough."

"Sorry. I had to dig the arrow out of my spine, thank you for that," Rebekah said sourly.

"Well, if you want a lead on Katherine Pierce, _here's your guy!" _Damon mused. Lana swallowed from behind him. She didn't like seeing someone get hurt, and the blood was too much. It smelt…delicious.

"Torture me all you want," Vaughn proposed. "You can't kill me. The Hunter's curse will torment you forever."

Damon dug the knife in deeper. "It'll be _worth _it."

"He's right," Rebekah said. "You can't kill him. But that doesn't mean we can't tear him apart, piece by piece, nerve by nerve, until the pain is so severe, your brain shuts it off to give you one _tiny _moment of blessed relief. Then we'll heal you, and do it again and again and again."

Lana winced. "You _are _creepy," she said in shock.

Rebekah shot her a smile. "Thank you," Rebekah said.

Damon gave Vaughn a meaningful look, one that told Vaughn Rebekah was not messing with him.

Vaughn gave in and launched into the story. When he was done, Damon took the knife out.

"Good. Let's throw him in the well. If he starves to death, it's not our fault." He shrugged carelessly. "Lana and I are going to find Bonnie."

"He's got a lead on the Cure, Damon; I'm going to find it. But I suppose you don't mind, you never wanted Elena to be human again, anyway."

"I wanted that Cure for her because that's what _she _wanted," he snapped. Lana flinched slightly, and he realized he was being inconsiderate. He had to tell her. He did love her. He wanted to tell her.

Why did it feel he was only hurting her if he did?

Damon sighed. "Elena needs me to bring her best friend home, so I'm going to do it," Damon snapped. He looked at Lana. "Are you coming?" he asked in a less severe voice.

After a while, she nodded.

"Yeah," she said at last. "I'm coming."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.

"I'm sorry," he said when they were out of Rebekah's ear-shot. "I don't mean to talk about Elena with you around. She's just involved in everything."

"You have to stop treating me like I'm a _child."_ Lana hissed through her teeth and let herself out of Damon's grasp. "I'm not _stupid_. Yeah, you love Elena. I understand that." She paused. "You know I love Stefan. The only thing I can't figure out is why you care so much if I love Stefan."

Damon sighed. "You want to know why I care, Lana?" He cupped his hands around her face and leaned in, kissing her. He tried to keep it innocent – maybe – but it didn't turn out that way. It was passionate, time-consuming, and distracting. Finally, she shoved him away, but her hand never left his chest.

"Stop." Lana ordered when the phone rang inside of her pocket. She answered it quickly, her hands still on Damon's chest, fisting his shirt. He stood close to her.

"Stefan?" she questioned into the phone. There were sounds on the other line, of Stefan asking if she was okay. Damon grabbed the phone out of Lana's hand.

"Stefan?"

"Damon?" Stefan asked. "Did you find her?"

"No, not yet. We're still looking." Damon paused and turned away promptly. He lowered his voice. "How is she?"

"She's losing it, Damon. We can do everything we can to delay things here, but we've got to get Jeremy in a morgue before it get ugly."

"Damn it. I just can't leave her behind. I can't just _show up _without Bonnie!" Damon said, exasperated.

"I think you have to," Stefan said seriously. "At this point, I think the sire bond is the only thing that will keep Elena together. I can go back to find Bonnie," Stefan assured. "Or you can leave Lana there to—"

"No," Damon snapped into the phone. Lana could tell he was angry, but she didn't want to listen in on the conversation. If felt like eavesdropping. "That is not happening."

"Fine," Stefan agreed. "I don't disagree there, I was just offering it." Stefan paused. "Damon, you have to come home."

Damon nodded hesitantly. "We're on our way," he said at last.

"Damon," Lana whispered to him once Damon hung up and Lana put her phone back in her pocket. "Do you hear that?" she asked, her voice barely audible. Damon nodded and pulled her to him, forcing her behind him slightly. He turned around to see Bonnie stumble out of the woods. Damon let out a sigh of relief.

"I could actually _hug _you right now," he said.

Lana blinked. "And…I want a million dollars?" she questioned into thin air. Nothing happened. Damon pulled Bonnie into a small hug for a minute or so. Lana stood behind him.

"Where have you been? How did you find us?"

"Shane led the way. He told me what to do, Damon. I know how to bring Jeremy back."

* * *

Damon pulled up to the Gilbert house. Bonnie climbed out of the car after Lana and Lana met up with Damon on the sidewalk. Damon reached out for her hand and she took it hesitantly.

"You…You're sure?" she asked carefully. "I don't want to rush anything…"

He shook his head. "Stop talking." He sighed. "It's been a long night for all of us."

"Could you get Stefan out here?"

"They said that she knows what to do…" Caroline trailed off.

"Caroline. I need to talk to my brother," Damon said sternly.

"What's wrong…?" Caroline trailed off. Damon's eyes shifted to Bonnie.

Two minutes later, Bonnie was inside, explaining all of this to Caroline, Elena, and Matt, while Damon and Lana were talking to Stefan.

"I mean, the whole flight back home, all she could talk about was that _she's _the one who can drop the veil between this side and the other side," Damon told his brother.

"Drop the veil? What does that even mean?"

"What it _means _is, the myth about Silas being able to raise the dead is not just one, or some, it's _every _supernatural being over there!"

Lana stayed quiet.

"Three massacres, three hotspots, and the witch spell of the century; _every _supernatural being over there is back with a vengeance."

"I'm guessing you two have a lot of avenging spirits?" Lana whispered.

Stefan sighed.

"What are we going to do?"

"Stop her!" Damon snapped.

Stefan inhaled. "Come on," Stefan said. "Let's go inside."

They all went inside and listened as Elena picked up the phone call that ruined everything.

"I'm sorry," Elena snapped into the phone. "He's dead."

Elena brushed past the Salvatores and went upstairs.

"Damon," Stefan started. Damon looked down at Lana.

"Will you be okay?" he asked quietly. She nodded.

"I'll be fine," she whispered. "You want to go upstairs and talk to Elena?"

"I should," Damon admitted. He bent down to kiss her forehead. "I'll be back."

"Okay," she said. He left them, and Lana looked at Stefan. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Stefan answered her. "Are you?"

Lana laughed. "I'm…confused," Lana admitted. Stefan brought her into the living room so they could talk.

"What are you confused about?"

She gave him a look. "Everything," she admitted. "You, me, Damon, Elena. The sire bonds. The Cure. Everything."

Stefan gave Lana a meaningful look. "Lana…do _you _want to take the Cure?"

She paused. Had she thought of this? Becoming human again? Did she want to take the Cure, release her sire bond to Stefan, and risk growing old…without Damon?

"No," Lana said. "I don't."

"No one would blame you if you did," Stefan thought. _No, no one would blame me. I would make things complicated though. _

"I don't want to take the Cure," Lana said sternly. "I just want this to be over with."

Stefan sat down on the couch. "Lana…" he trailed off. "Do you think…"

When he didn't finish, Lana sat down beside him. "What?"

He sighed. "If Elena took the Cure and ended up still wanting to be with Damon," Stefan said hypothetically. "I'm going to leave," Stefan told her. "Regardless whether Elena wants me or not, I'm going to leave."

"That's good," Lana told him. "That's really good. Good for you, Stefan."

Stefan nodded. "And do you think.." he trailed off. "If, Damon wanted to be with her…"

The thought hurt, but Lana nodded. "Yes?"

"Do you think you would come with me?"

Lana inhaled when he said it. She was affected, _emotionally, _by the bond. Stefan, was not _physically _emotionally affected. Did he really want her, as if he was under a bond, too?

"Stefan…" she trailed off, but she realized. Maybe, underneath the sire bond, she loved him. Not the love she had with Damon, but _love_. She still had her human memories – the times Stefan had looked out for her. The way she felt when she first met him.

Finally, she answered. "Yes," Lana agreed. "If Elena turns human and Damon wants her as much as she wants him, I'll leave with you."

"I wasn't asking you to promise," Stefan argued. "I don't want you to feel like…"

Lana grabbed Stefan's hand, which was resting on his knee. "Don't," she said carefully. "Don't. I _want _to. You know I love you."

He wanted to protest, but footsteps interrupted that. Elena pounded downstairs and Damon followed her, carrying Jeremy. Stefan and Lana got up from the couch.

"Where's Bonnie?"

"We told Matt to take her home – we thought it was best."

Elena sighed. "Okay, I guess we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way," Elena said sadly.

"Do what?" Caroline almost laughed.

"Put his body on the couch," Elena instructed to Damon. Damon followed.

"Damon, what are you doing?" Lana questioned. The scent of Jeremy's rogue body filled her airways. She coughed.

"Shh," Damon said, grabbing her hand. "Don't get in Elena's way. Please. Just stay with Stefan," Damon instructed. Stefan shielded Lana with his body, and Damon did the same. The last thing Elena needed when she was unstable was to look at Lana, who she had voiced about killing.

"Elena?" Caroline asked. "Elena? Do you need help finding something?" Caroline gave a worried look to Stefan.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked when Elena pulled out ammonia from under the sink.

"We need a cover story, right?" she asked. "You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier?"

For the next few minutes, Elena went off the rails. Lana watched as Elena lit a match after putting the ammonia over Jeremy's dead body. Elena was crying hard.

"No, no, no, Elena. Stop," Stefan said. His arm was behind his back, shielding Lana. Elena was off the rails. Elena could snap Lana's neck at any moment, or drive a wooden stake through her heart, or let Lana burn with the house.

"There's nothing _here _for me, anymore, Stefan!" Elena yelled. "Every _inch _of this house is filled with memories of the people that I loved that have _died. _My mom, my dad, Jeremy, Jenna, Alaric, John – Even _John! _I mean, they're all dead! Everyone is _dead. _So…how am I going to…I can't even…there's nothing left for me…"

The match burned brighter and Elena dropped it. Damon flew to her side and caught the match, mid-air. Everyone in the house breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Elena, calm down," Damon ordered.

Elena shook her head. "No, no, I can't! I can't! I can't! I can't!" She collapsed to the floor, clutching her side. It wasn't from physical pain. Stefan tightened his grip on Lana's hand. It was getting to a point of uncomforting pressure.

Elena cried. "Please make it stop. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. _Please _make it stop. It hurts…" Tears were flowing down her cheeks as if it were the Niagara Falls.

"Damon," Stefan ordered. "Help her."

Damon looked at Elena, who was on the floor, crying mindlessly. What would he do? How could he fix this?

He dropped to the floor and took Elena in his arms. Lana's heart pounded and she, this time, returned the pressure on Stefan's hand. Damon tried not to make it look too comfortable, for the sake of his brother and his complicated girlfriend, but he had to make Elena feel better. She held onto him.

"I can help you. I want you to let me help you." Damon brushed her hair out of her face. "I can help you."

"How?"

"Turn it off."

"What? No, no!" Stefan protested.

"Just turn it off. Everything will go away."

"Damon!" Lana snapped. She knew what this meant – Stefan had told her. All of Elena's humanity will disappear.

"That's what you have to do." He paused. "That's what I want you to do."

"Damon!" Lana screamed at him. If Elena turned her humanity off, this would end bad. They all knew this would end bad. _Damon, you damn idiot! _

Damon stole a glance towards Lana. "I love you," he said quickly. "Now shut up."

He turned back to Elena. "Turn. It. Off."

Elena's eyes were red from crying, but her tears had slowed. She said nothing, and she looked blank.

Lana was beside Stefan, coping over what Damon had said, and the way Damon had said it. Right in front of Elena….and Elena…didn't care.

* * *

While Elena was silent and cold and distant, Stefan and Lana weren't happy with Damon.

"It was a mistake," Stefan told Damon desperately.

"It wasn't, and you know it," Damon snapped. "This is the only way she's going to survive. We'll keep an eye on her. When she's ready, I'll bring her back."

Stefan shook his head. "Her _humanity _was all she had left."

"Humanity means _nothing _when you have nobody else you care about, Stefan," Damon retorted.

"She had you," Stefan admitted.

Damon lowered his eyes. His brother pulled that card.

"She didn't have me," Damon said, his eyes moving towards someone else. "Maybe at first, but…" Damon sighed. "She lost her brother. I wasn't going to make up for that. I'm not enough. Not this time."

"But who knows what she could do now!" Lana yelled quietly. "Just because her humanity is off, doesn't mean her memories go away." She paused. "Elena…without emotions? She'll get ruthless."

"Then we'll keep an eye on her," Damon promised. "Stefan, do you mind giving me a second?" he asked his brother. Instead, Stefan looked at Lana.

Stefan bit his lip and looked at Lana. "Two minutes?" he asked her. She nodded and went inside.

"Listen, Damon, I know you and I have been through some…bad spots," Stefan admitted. "When it comes to…well, _them_," Stefan said.

_She was never _yours_,_ Damon wanted to say. _Lana was mine. She loved me first this time. _

"Yeah, well," Damon said. "I guess that doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" he pressured, but he knew the answer.

"I just…uh…I want you to know that…uh…" Stefan didn't know how to say it. What man did?

Damon nodded. "I know, Stefan," he said, and put a hand on his baby brother's shoulder. For the first time, they were brothers again.

Stefan went inside and Lana came out.

"What's going on?" she asked. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," Damon said carefully. He patted the seat beside him on the swing. "You want to sit?"

"No," she said, crossing her arms. "I don't."

"Oh, please don't tell me you're mad," Damon said, getting off of the swing on the porch. "Not after what I told you back there."

"Yeah, what you told me, in front of Stefan, Caroline, and Elena." She shook her head. "What were you _thinking_? If Elena didn't have her humanity off…"

"But she does," Damon cut her off. He put his hands on Lana's shoulders and tried to pull her close. Her arms were crossed and she wasn't moving. "Lana, I love _you_. I think…I think I might even love you more."

"Why?" she proposed. "Because of Elena? Because her humanity is off?"

"I knew that I loved you before I even got off that damn island," Damon whispered. "I just didn't know how to say it…to _you_."

He leaned forward and kissed her, and this time, he kept it innocent with all the willpower in his body. Damon thought she got tired of trying to fight, because she eventually pulled him closer and kissed him.

"Say it again?" she said finally, her breathing pattern rapid.

"I love you," he said. "I love you. I really do. I'll say it as many times as you want."

"I would love to hear it many times," she admitted. "But I think we need to go inside now."

"Are you still my girlfriend?" Damon asked. It seemed like a silly question, but he needed to ask it. She sighed.

"If you want me," she admitted.

"What about Stefan?"

Lana shook her head. "You know I love you," she said. _"Way _more than I'll ever come close to loving Stefan."

Damon smiled lightly, but it was too melancholic of a moment to smile wholly. They linked hands and walked in, where Elena lit a match again.

"Elena," Damon said carefully. "Don't do this. We can _find _another cover story," he told her.

She shook her head, and for the first time, she talked. "This is the best one," she admitted. "No one will ask questions."

"Look, if you burn down the house, it'll be gone," Stefan said carefully. "What if one day, when this is all over, you want to come home again?"

"I won't," Elena said eventually and dropped the match onto the floor. She led the way out, and the Salvatores, Elena, and Lana left, the house burning behind them.

* * *

**A/N: Yes. I just fit the entire episode into one chapter. And that just took me…oh, about two hours! **

**I'm sorry, again, for making you wait this long! Next chapter up soon, I promise!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvtore1918_**

**_X_**


	25. XXV

**A/N: Now must come the time where we VOTE! I'm probably going to put this up on a poll later, but for now, if you would be so kind and tell me in a review, I will count those, too!**

**The season finale for The Vampire Diaries in America is NEXT WEEK. ****This means, this story has (obviously) got to stop, since I go by the episodes. But there are a few ways this can go…**

**TELL ME WHICH OPTION YOU LIKE!**

**Option 1: ****I can continue the next season ON THIS STORY! I will just have to put a breaker for Season 5 (the chapter will most likely be an A/N and say "Season 5" in the chapter box above. And then, I will renumber, starting from I. The problem with this is, the chapter box will be humongously long, and if I decide to carry it into a Season 6…well…can you see the problem with that? We're not even done with Season 4 yet and it's 24 chapters! **

**Option 2: ****I can create another story (a sequel, if you must), based off of the events in Season 5, episode by episode. The only problem with this is miniscule (I just don't know what to call it…I like the title of this story!) and it will probably resolve itself. **

**Option 3: ****I can continue this story, without moving onto Season 5. I can actually make it a continuation of the series while it is off air. The problem with this is, it always bothers me when I do that because then the show will take off in a completely different direction. The point of this story was to go off the show and fix it so it's better, while still keeping the cannon and adding in an OC. **

**Final option, ****Option 4: ****I can just stop this story at the season 4 finale. I don't want to do this, but if you want me to…**

**This will go into the bottom A/N. Please. I need your help! **

**Now onto the story! Enjoy ****_Bring It On! _**

**Disclaimer: TVD is not mine, only Lana and the plotline is mine. **

* * *

**_XXV_**

He could get used to this. Maybe he wanted to get used to this. The moonlight shone through the window on Damon's face, but he didn't care. He sipped his drink in his glass and watched as the woman in his bed rolled over. Damon was starting to regret being dressed. He leaned against the wall and watched as Lana awoke and sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest.

She looked him over, head-to-toe. Lana's face turned down in a frown.

"You're dressed," she grumbled. He smiled.

"I am," he admitted and took a sip of his drink. Lana scowled.

"You couldn't give me something to go off of?" she teased. Damon smiled and moved over to the bed. He put his glass down on the nightstand and leaned over to give her a kiss. Her fingers traced his cheek, but he pulled away.

"Good morning," he whispered, but reconsidered. "Or evening. Whatever."

Lana sighed. "Once again, Prince Charming leaves at night, doesn't he?" She glanced at the clock. It was eleven, and she'd only slept for three hours. They'd all been on Elena watch for the past couple days, and between being with Damon and taking her turn with watching Elena, she hadn't gotten much rest.

Damon raised his eyebrows.

"Who says Prince Charming is leaving you?" he questioned and held out his hand. "Prince Charming is waiting for his Cinderella to get dressed so he can take her somewhere."

Lana's eyes widened. "I'm sorry…" she trailed off. "What?"

Damon smiled and moved his hand to rest on her face. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and answered. "Don't I owe you a date?"

She pouted. "Technically, I didn't win," Lana grumbled. "And a date, at eleven o'clock at night?"

Damon shrugged. "Think of it more as a relaxed date. And as for your video game loss…well, I'll take you out anyway. You can repay me for it later," he quipped.

She nodded eagerly. "I'll get dressed."

Damon didn't let her go without giving her a kiss. Finally, he let her get changed by going downstairs.

Stefan was sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of alcohol. He looked up at his brother, confused.

"Why are you so cheerful?" Stefan asked, taking a sip.

Damon shrugged. "Why are you so gloomy?"

"Because Elena's refusing to take to me about her problems," Stefan said.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Elena has no humanity. Personally, I think she might be better this way. Granted, we should still keep an eye on her, but she'll turn her humanity back on, soon enough."

Stefan huffed. "You're just happy because you got Lana and I didn't, for once."

Damon shot his brother a glare. "You never _had _her. It was a sire bond."

"Touché, brother," Stefan tilted his glass before drowning the rest. At that moment, Lana came downstairs, dressed in white jeans and a black sheer top with black pumps. She said hello to Stefan and looked at Damon.

"Ready," she said to him. "Where are we going?"

Damon grabbed her hand and looked at Stefan. "Call me if you need anything," Damon instructed. "But if you call for the sake of calling, I'll snap your neck."

Stefan groaned. "Wouldn't _dream _about it!" Stefan yelled as they walked away.

"Bye, Stefan!" Lana yelled to him. Stefan mused an answer while Damon took Lana out of the house.

"Where are we going?" she repeated.

"Dinner…drinks…" Damon answered vaguely. "That is what couples do at nighttime, right?" He smiled. Lana frowned.

"I said _where_," Lana corrected and climbed into Damon's convertible.

Damon grinned. "And I said to dinner," he said adamantly. Lana sighed.

"Fine." She exhaled dramatically. "Surprises are ways of exerting attention needs." Lana snuck a glance to him. "If you wanted attention, all you had to do was ask, sweetheart," she teased.

Damon's mouth turned up. "Cute," he remarked as he pulled out of the boarding house.

"Come on, just tell me," Lana reasoned. Damon smiled.

"No," he said. "That's the point of a _surprise._"

They got to the restaurant, half an hour later. It wasn't a restaurant, but a bar…a pub, really. She didn't mind a bar. Pool, dancing, drinking, and eating with Damon? What could be better?

They barely made it inside of the bar before Lana's phone rang. She didn't confirm caller ID before she answered it.

"Yes?"

"Lana?" Stefan breathed through the phone. "You and Damon need to get back here. Elena went for a midnight stroll," Stefan said sourly. _Is it already midnight?_ She thought to herself. Yes, it was. She must've taken longer than expected to dress.

Lana sighed heavily. Damon, obviously hearing the conversation on the other side of the phone, grimaced.

When Lana agreed and hung up the phone, Damon groaned.

"Seriously?" he snapped. "Stefan could _not _get any lower than this!" he raged.

"It's not his fault," Lana responded. "Blame Elena, if you will."

Damon shot Lana a glare as they both climbed inside of the vehicle and raced off back to the boarding house. "Elena wouldn't go on a 'midnight stroll' because she's jealous of our alone time." He shrugged. "She has her humanity off. She shouldn't even care."

Lana paused. "You don't."

Damon did a U-turn. "I don't what?" he asked.

Lana shrugged carelessly. "Have your humanity off," she answered. "Doesn't that mean you'd be jealous?"

"I'm _always _jealous, if you haven't noticed," Damon answered with a light grin. Seeing the seriousness on his girlfriend's face, he frowned. "Lana, you know I love you. I told you this."

"Just because you love me doesn't mean you un-loved Elena," she grumbled. Damon pulled the car to a halt at the side of the road and turned to face her, pulling his arm around her head to bring his lips to hers. At first, she was resistant, but it wasn't getting much easier to resist him. When he pulled away, he leaned against her forehead.

"Do I need to convince you a little more?" he asked. She could feel the hopefulness in his voice. Lana sighed and straightened.

"No," she admitted, but grabbed Damon's hand as he frowned. "We should go," she told him carefully.

Damon sighed and started the car again.

* * *

"We're going to lose her, Damon," Stefan spoke to his brother with grimness.

"She needs time," Damon said, for what seemed the billionth time. "It's only been a couple days."

Lana poured a glass of alcohol and sat down on the couch, propping her feet up to expose her new shoes that she hadn't gotten to show off at whatever restaurant Damon had picked for them.

"Her humanity is off," Stefan argued. "She's basically numb to everything that makes her who she is."

"She's a vampire," Damon argued. "The off switch one of its biggest perks! Being undead gets you down…" He snapped his fingers. "_Viola! _Vampire Prozac!"

Stefan grimaced. "She burned down her family home. With her brother's dead body still inside."

"Saves us the trouble of having to do it ourselves. I call that a win-win." Damon paused. "Worst case scenario. Evoke the sire bond and tell her to turn it back on."

"No, her brother just died. You force all that grief on her at once, it's just going to overwhelm her. We need to give her a _reason _to want to turn it on."

"Fine," Damon agreed. "We'll show her a good time." At the look of disapproval he received, Damon continued, rolling his eyes. "I know it's _controversial, _Stefan, but people _actually _like to have fun."

"You really think that's going to work?"

"There's only one way to find out," Damon agreed.

"I hate to interrupt this secret plan you've got going on to turn Elena's humanity back on." Lana drained her alcohol. "But shouldn't you be interrupting Elena's 'midnight stroll' like Stefan interrupted our almost-date?" she questioned, directed towards Damon.

Damon sighed. "I'll be back," he promised. He shot a warning look to his brother. "Don't try anything while I'm gone."

"You need to stop being paranoid, Damon." But Damon could see it – that smug smile on Stefan's face. Damon scoffed and grabbed his jacket before leaving, slamming the door shut.

"So it's true?" Stefan turned to his sired. "You and Damon are…"

"Together?" Lana filled in. "Yeah. It's true."

"I don't like it," he admitted.

"You don't have to," she confessed. "I'm still strong enough to defy you, unless you're _dead _set on something." Lana paused. "Deep down, Stefan—"

"Don't do the psychology crap with me." Stefan groaned. "I'm _already _having a bad day."

He plopped down on the couch, moving Lana's feet so they were on his lap after he sat down. She sunk into the couch further, yawning.

"Aren't we all?" She yawned. "Elena's driving me insane."

"We have to find a way to make her turn her humanity back on," Stefan theorized. "I don't think Damon has a very good idea."

"I think it's a good idea," Lana countered, folding her hands under her head. "Hey, I thought vampires weren't supposed to get tired. Why am I tired?" she asked, frowning.

"Everyone is tired at some point," Stefan admitted. "Get some rest," he suggested. "I estimate an hour of sleep in your future." He smiled. She smiled back.

"Thanks, Stefan."

He got up from the couch and took off her shoes, tossing them on the floor. "Need anything?"

"Nope."

"Okay," he said. "I'll be upstairs."

"Got it," she answered before he went upstairs and she received a few moments of shut-eye.

* * *

As it turned out, Lana got a lot more sleep than she imagined. Damon came home before the break of dawn, letting Stefan talk to Elena as he moved her up into his bed. As of the moment, Elena was showering. Lana took a shower in Stefan's bedroom.

When she came out, fully dressed, she let her hair loose and dressed, walking into Damon's room as Damon and Stefan did, also.

"That's the plan?" Damon said angrily. "Take her back to _school_?" _I think you have a different definition of a "good time", brother. _

"Well the fun route didn't exactly pay off, did it?" Stefan proposed.

"I don't know, we got a free meal out of it."

"Look, you think I want to go back to school and play chaperone? You can't go because you're a student. Besides, you've got to go look for Katherine." Stefan paused. "I mean, Elena needs this Cure more than ever."

"Not that anyone asked me, but I think taking her back to school is a _great _idea," Caroline informed.

"Why are you here?" Damon asked Caroline.

"Blame it on your fancy water-filters. Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town."

"Oh, yeah, the mayor put vervain in the town water supply." Damon narrowed his eyes. "_So _many people to kill…"

"Vervain?" Lana asked, alarmed. "In the water supply?" She looked back between everyone in the room. "What did you guys do? Kill someone and shove it to the authorities, 'Look here! I'm a vampire and we're highly dangerous!'?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Word gets around," he admitted. She frowned.

"Yeah, and my mom says it's about to get worse." Caroline paused. "So she could use a little help."

"Your mom…?" Lana trailed off.

"Sheriff," Caroline filled in. "Of the town. Knows about vampires…about Damon, Stefan, me, and Elena…"

"Okay, Lana and I are going to talk to the psychotic doppelganger." Damon paused to look at Stefan. "Stefan, you'll go talk to the Sheriff." He looked to Caroline. "Blondie, you'll take her to school."

Caroline grinned like an idiot.

"Wait, I get to meet Katherine?" Lana asked, her voice low. "Oh, _this _day just keeps getting better and better. Didn't you guys used to be in love with her, too?" Lana asked, clipped.

Caroline tried to contain laughs. Stefan crossed his arms, waiting for Damon to explain.

"Ah…" Damon trailed off. "You know what, babe? One step at a time, okay? Maybe you should go with Stefan today? Or with Caroline?"

"First of all, I'm not a student a Mystic Falls," Lana pointed out, "Second of all, I don't need the Sheriff to know that I completely dropped off the face of the Earth back at college, where they're probably looking for me. Third, I'm right, aren't I?" She looked to Caroline. Caroline nodded a fraction of an inch, giving Lana her indication.

Lana slapped Damon's arm. "You just _can't _keep it in your pants, can you?" she hissed.

Caroline laughed. "Damon, can I tell her? Please?" Caroline pleaded. Damon shot her a glare, knowing what she was going to say.

"No," Damon said sternly. Lana shook her head.

"What is it, Caroline?"

"Caroline…" Damon trailed off.

"Sounds like fun," Elena's bland voice was unmistakable. She looked to Lana. "Damon and Caroline slept together back in the day, before she was a vampire. Multiple times, might I add."

Lana wasn't listening. Her mouth was dropped to the floor as Elena dripped, wet and naked, in front of two men who she used to date, her best friend, and the girlfriend of Elena's ex-boyfriend. _She's so screwed up, _Lana thought sourly.

Damon tilted his head to the side, and Stefan mimicked.

Lana looked over at them, her mouth still dropped.

She groaned and walked out of the room, frustrated. Elena smiled lightly, but it was bland and sour.

"What?" she questioned them all. "It's nothing you haven't seen before." She wrapped a towel around her body. "And as for the, uh, going to school idea, I've got nothing better to do."

Stefan cleared his throat and motioned to Damon. Damon stepped up.

"Elena, it would make me very happy if you went to school today. And studied hard. And…you know, get involved in…whatever, activities…And please. For me. No matter what. Don't _eat _anyone."

She stared at him, her expression blank. "Okay?" he asked. She nodded lightly and Damon walked out to meet Lana, who was blow drying her hair in the bathroom. She looked fine, as if not bothered at all. Damon walked behind her and threw his arms around her waist, setting his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, hopeful she wasn't.

Lana sighed.

"No," she admitted. "But you really are the little playboy, aren't you?" Lana smiled, but it was sour. He smiled back.

"So you're coming with me today?" he asked. "I promise, nothing is going on between me and Katherine anymore." He almost laughed. "That ship has _sailed,_" he promised.

"And Caroline?" Lana asked, raising her eyebrows. To be honest, she didn't care. The thought of Caroline and Damon together repulsed her.

Damon wrinkled his nose. "It was purely a get-back-at-Stefan thing," Damon assured her.

"Mm," Lana agreed. "Okay, I'm going with you," she decided. "If you let me finish blow drying my hair," she finished.

Damon straightened after giving her a light kiss on the cheek. "Meet me downstairs in ten?" he questioned.

"Okay."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I think that's enough for this chapter. Next chapter will resume the show. LOL I'm only like 10 minutes in! Sorry, I just couldn't continue because it's like…midnight. Anyway, more this weekend, if I can. I'll try my ****_hardest _****because there's this scene I ****_really _****want to write. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**

**BY THE WAY: If you could PLEASE read my new TVD story, ****_Reality, _****I would greatly appreciate it! You can find it under my stories! **

**BE SURE TO REVIEW THE OPTION YOU WANT!**


	26. XXVI

**A/N: So I figured out that I don't even need to do a poll! You guys told me pretty much that you want me to continue this on my own without help from the show. Which I think is a good idea because the season finale ****_PISSED. ME. OFF. _****First Delena (and as if that's not bad enough) STEFAN GETTING PUSHED INTO THE BOTTOM OF A QUERRY? NO, JULIE. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. Once again, NOOOO. **

**The one thing I ****_do _****need help from you guys with is picking either OPTION 2 or OPTION 3. I could continue it ON THIS STORY or create ANOTHER STORY continuing off of this. The problem with Option 2 (Creating another story) is that I tend to lose interest after a while, but you guys have been really good so far with keeping me inspired. **

**BY THE WAY: I'm SOOO sorry I've been keeping you guys so long! My grandfather had a stroke and I was dealing with exams…but it's the summertime, so I'm going to be updating A LOT. Well, except for when I go to the TVD convention. **

**But PLEASE tell me in a review or PM whether you want me to create ANOTHER story or CONTINUE the story under this story. Thank you so much!**

**Now onto the chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: TVD is not mine because…that finale would've never been an idea in my head. I'm sorry. I don't want to make little girls' heads explode or make them cry (like I did). But Lana is mine and so is the writing and plotline. **

* * *

**_XXVI_**

"I want you to stand behind me and don't say a word," Damon commanded in a low, hushed voice. His body was shielding hers, slightly in front of her during each step they took. She rolled her eyes.

"I think you're forgetting I'm a vampire."

Damon scoffed, trying to keep it quiet. "Honey, that's certainly not the issue."

After a toss of her hair over her shoulder, Lana eyed him. "Then what _is _the issue?" she questioned.

Damon sighed and spun on his heel, turning around to face her. "When you say you're a vampire, you know; that might scare some humans…right?" he questioned, doing his "eye thing" with his eyebrows. She nodded slowly.

"I guess," Lana admitted.

"Right," Damon answered. "So what do you think the Originals are meant for? Scaring humans, yes, but also _vampires_." Damon paused. "And you've only been a vampire for a couple of weeks…which is nothing in our time." He looked at her. "So you understand now? _Stay behind me and don't say a word," _Damon instructed.

Lana thought about it for a moment, constructing the smile on her face to stay hidden. She nodded carefully. "Okay," she agreed, her heart warming. Sometimes, it was to her advantage to read people.

Damon sighed a breath of relief and spun around again, shielding her with his body once more. He knocked on the door.

An unhappy Original vampire opened the door with a sigh, one much more frustrated than Damon's. His face was familiar to Lana, and she searched some of her human memories for his face. It was the man who compelled her to remember again – the man with Stefan. What was his name? Kyle? Kellan? It was useless, that part of her memory – the minor details – didn't recognize his face enough to know his name.

"Oh." The vampire had a dashing British accent, too. "What an unpleasant surprise."

Damon waltzed into the house, uninvited, leading Lana behind him so she didn't fall behind. His goal was to make her as invisible as possible.

"So I just came up with a list," Damon quipped. "It's called _'Things you suck at'." _Damon gave a smirk before continuing. The British vampire just stared, for the most part ignoring the somewhat newborn vampire behind Damon. "Number one: finding Katherine, ever. Number two, covering up your secret phone conversations with that little backstabber Hayley." Damon looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and set it down on a table next to him. The Original vampire just stared, squaring his jaw.

"Yeah. So?" Damon prompted. "Where is she, and what does she know about Katherine?"

"I should tell you?" the vampire questioned sarcastically. "After you lot killed my brother and imprisoned me in the Gilbert living room?"

"You might want to prioritize Klaus, you have much bigger problems," Damon responded angrily. Without further notice, he said what he came here to say. "Katherine has the Cure." Klaus stiffened tensely. "My guess is, she's going to want to cram it down your throat." Damon paused to give Klaus a minute. "You help me find Katherine, I'll get the Cure, I'll give it to Elena, _everybody wins_." Klaus looked down to the floor.

"Just let me question Hayley about Katherine," Damon pleaded, but it wasn't to the point of graveling. Lana, who stood beside Damon as he paced, was a good girl and stayed quiet.

"So you can just turn around and give it to your little wrongly-turned-into-a-vampire girlfriend standing next to you?" Klaus questioned and passed Damon with a bump to his shoulder.

"I don't—" Lana started. Damon shot her a look.

"Where's Hayley, Klaus?" Damon replied, ignoring Klaus's comment.

"Mm." Klaus sat down on the couch and looked up. "Can't help you, Mate. Hayley's off limits. Although I did have a run in with a vampire who may know where Katerina is. Too bad for you I bit halfway through his bloody neck, he probably won't have enough time for chit chat."

Damon turned to Lana carefully. "Okay, let's go."

"Ah, ah, ah, Mate," Klaus said, getting up from his comfortable couch. "You bring a guest into my home and don't expect me to talk with her?"

"She's off limits," Damon growled.

Klaus shook his head, feeling the control and power again. "No, I don't think that's how it works."

"Damon," Lana whispered to him. "I'll be fine. He won't hurt me." She paused to look at him. "Right?"

Klaus bit his cheek. "Mm…tempting, but no." He shot a look at Damon. "I just want to talk. Maybe observe," he admitted.

"Observe _this_," Damon replied angrily, grabbing Lana's hand and leading her out of the room. "Bye, Klaus."

In a flash of vampire speed, Klaus was in front of them."You know, I, for one, am getting a little tired of this back-and-forth thing both you and Stefan have for girls. But I have to say, this time I'm impressed it's not a Petrova." The name rolled off his tongue. Klaus tilted his head. "Although, you never know. There could always be a secret daughter out there somewhere. But we know for certain she's not a doppelganger," Klaus voiced. He looked at Damon. "So you chose her instead of Elena?"

"Does it matter?" Damon said through his teeth.

"Damon," Lana said calmly. "Relax. Please."

The angry regular vampire shot her an ice-cold glare that made her turn away.

"Lover's spat." Klaus shrugged. "He'll get over it." In a movement, the door was open and the wind settled outside. "Have a nice day…Lana, isn't it?"

The vampire nodded and Damon led her out of the house through the gap that Klaus held open. When the door was shut and Damon and Lana were safely down the block, he pulled them to a halt and faced her, his ice blue eyes burning a higher temperature that fire could ever reach.

"What the _hell _was that?" Damon demanded. She stepped out of his grasp and sighed.

"I'm getting tired of this back and forth game, Damon," Lana said. Surprisingly, she was calm, but that was who she was…normally. A heightened emotion, really. "A few months ago you were the one hurting me and now you're trying to protect me? Pick a _side_."

Damon bit down on his cheek, squaring his jaw. "A few months ago, you were a toy to me." The words were out and he couldn't take them back.

She inhaled deeply. Self-control, she reminded herself. "And now?" Lana prompted.

One of the perks of her self-control was that Damon didn't have to get in trouble. He sighed. "Lana, you're the woman I love now. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Yes, but Damon, I _am _a vampire. And believe it or not, well-liked." Her shoulders lifted up and down. "I'm capable, so lay off. I'll be fine on my own. I can't depend on you."

It took Damon a second to realize what she was saying. Within the time it took it to sink in, he nodded. He wasn't used to not…protecting. On a level, though, he could see where she was coming from. He tried to protect Katherine – and what a failure _that _turned out to be. And look at Elena with Stefan – he was only trying to protect her, and she left him for Damon.

Before he could answer, Lana continued. "Please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way, Damon," she pleaded, squeezing his hand that she took in her own. "I _want _you to protect me. By all means. It's…romantic," she admitted. "But not too much, okay?"

Damon stepped closer, realizing what she was saying finally. Overbearing – that's the worst kind of protective measures. "Okay," he agreed and gave her a light peck, only because they had to leave soon. "Let's go find this vampire."

* * *

Rebekah.

After Damon hung up the phone with Stefan, Rebekah turned up in front of them, back from her "vacation" on the island.

"Why would I help you?" Damon asked as he began slowly walking away.

Rebekah held up a small vial of Klaus's blood. "Because I was smart enough to bring a pinch of my brother's blood. How else do you interrogate a vampire who's practically dead from a wolf bite?" Rebekah proposed.

Damon stared at the vial, realizing it was a good idea. "Fine," he said. "Follow us. I think I know where to look."

When they began moving, Rebekah looked back and forth between Lana and Damon. "So…are you two…_together_ now or are we still walking circles around the cone or whatever the expression is?" Rebekah began.

"Is it any of your business?" Damon pressured. Rebekah shrugged.

"Well…I mean…as long as we're out here…"

"Oh, God, Damon," Lana groaned and looked at Rebekah. "Yes, _fine. _We're together. Happy now?" Lana looked at Damon. "The sire bond is broken?" she asked Damon in a hushed voice. Damon sighed.

"Yes," Damon answered.

"Ooh," Rebekah cooed. "Drama in the Elena sire bond town." She smiled. "Anything else going on with her that I don't know about yet?"

Damon and Lana shared a look, but stayed silent.

* * *

Although it hurt him to torture another human being in front of the woman he tortured himself in his bedroom for countless nights, Damon Salvatore did what he did best as he fed off of a human girl who was mildly in agony. He made sure not to take too much.

"Well," Rebekah sighed. "Nobody could ever mistake you for subtle."

Damon tore his fangs away from the girl's neck and looked back at Rebekah, blood lining his lips.

"You have to take pride in your work," Damon said, his heart squeezing.

"It's okay," Damon cooed to the woman. "Come here. Come here." Damon pulled the woman close and started to compel her. "Now, I want you to walk very slowly to your car." He pushed her away slightly. Lana cringed seeing the woman dead-walking. Was that what she looked like?

It bothered her, not much, but enough, to see Damon feeding and compelling a human being. All for the woman they call Elena Gilbert – the one who doesn't care anymore…or at least that's what she keeps saying.

"Off you go."

Lana sat on the hood of a car, her hands gripping the sides tightly. With a long sigh, she jumped off the hood onto the concrete and walked over to Damon, wiping the blood from his mouth with her thumb. "You're a messy eater," she stated with a light smile.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. She shrugged and looked down at the pavement.

"For the greater good," Lana convinced herself. Damon took her hand and held up her thumb.

"Want some?" he questioned, a smirk teasing the side of his face. Lana hesitated for a moment before taking her hand and fitting her thumb into her mouth, licking the blood clean. The words went unspoken, but the blood was delicious.

Rebekah groaned. "You know, I just don't see how this increases our odds any," she admitted.

"I've been on the other side of a wolf bite," Damon answered. "First you get really sick, then you get really hungry. Since the sun's gone down, I'm imagining he's going to be looking for his last supper." He paused. "I just laid out a three-course, hundred and fifteen pound meal for him." A smile played at Damon's red-with-blood lips.

The woman stumbled to her car, in a trace, in a daze. It wasn't long before the vampire Damon, Lana, and Rebekah were searching for ended up walking _right _into their trap.

With vampire speed, Damon jumped in front of the sick vampire, grabbing him by the collar of a…leather jacket? A jacket much like Damon's.

When Damon realized who was in the leather jacket, his expression changed. _No, _a voice inside of him whispered.

"Damon?" the vampire wheezed.

Damon's fist tightened. "Will?"

"Hey, buddy," the vampire wheezed more. Will pulled his leather jacket down to show Damon's the bite. "I think there's something wrong with me. I need help." He straightened.

Damon felt his heart dropped. _No. _

"It's okay." _No it's not. _Damon patted his friend's shoulder. "I know what to do."

The vampire nodded before Damon drew back his hand and plunged it forward, subduing his hand through his old friend's heart. Will wheezed once more before Damon pulled out his hand, grabbing the heart that once belonged to his "buddy".

"Damon!" Lana screamed, showing up beside him. Rebekah followed quickly after.

"What the _bloody hell _are you doing?" Rebekah yelled.

"He's too far gone. I put him out of his misery." Damon said, turning around. _Fuck, _he thought, inhaling. He forgot about the other vampire – the important one – right beside him.

Rebekah, though, was angry. Not so much angry as stunned.

"Why did you…" Lana trailed off. Damon shook his head, indicating he didn't want to talk about it. He motioned his head so Lana could come with him, and he brushed past Rebekah with no other words.

"Let's go," Damon whispered to Lana. "I'm done."

They left.

* * *

Before they even walked into the Salvatore boarding house, it was loud. Crazy loud. But when they walked in, it was even louder. High school students, especially cheerleaders, glanced at Damon as he walked in. Damon gave an appreciative look, but didn't look too long. High school students are out of his league. Lana came in beside him, trying to shout over the music.

"What…_is _this?" she questioned, looking around. Damon smiled and grabbed her hand.

"Does it matter?" he asked her, shooing a glance in her direction. "It's a party!" Damon didn't need to scream over the music, so he said it naturally. She could still hear it though. Lana's chest warmed inside.

When Damon brushed past a high school varsity jock, he grabbed the bourbon bottle from his hand. "Thank you," Damon said sarcastically and began drinking straight from the mouth of the bottle. Lana laughed.

"Seriously, Damon?" she asked, smiling.

Damon shrugged. "It's not like I can get date raped or something." He paused, and there came the sexual innuendo. "Unless…"

"Shut up," Lana chuckled. His heart gave a small squeeze. Before, he was feeling like crap. Maybe she could make him feel better. Possibly. Certainly. He didn't know.

"Seriously?" Damon didn't even have to spin around to see who it was. "Won't you take a hint and leave us alone?" His voice was normal-pitched.

"What are you hiding? I know you knew that vampire," Rebekah accused.

"I know a lot of dead people," Damon said, grinning slightly.

"You killed him to prevent me from finding Katherine to keep me from finding the Cure," Rebekah said, once again, accusingly.

Damon sighed largely before looking at Lana. "Hey, do me a favor?" he asked her. She nodded slowly. "Just go up to my room? I'll meet you there in a minute."

At first, Lana thought about arguing. But the best thing, right now, was to not push Damon's buttons. So, once again, obedient, she left up the stairs to Damon's bedroom. When she was gone, Damon began.

"You really want the Cure?" Damon prompted. "I mean, really?" He sighed. "Look, let me give you a little bit of advice."

Damon pulled Rebekah to the staircase to see a group of cheerleaders in emerald green outfits smiling and having a good time.

"You see these girls? They look happy, now. But in five years, they're going to settle for a mediocre starter husband and a mind-numbing career, and about that time, they're going to realize something you're never going to have to learn."

Rebekah grimaced. "And what would that be?"

Damon continued, "Life sucks when you're ordinary," he replied. "And what makes you exactly _not _like them? You're a vampire. You take that cure and become human? You're nothing. You're no one." He paused to turn to the staircase. "Trust me, loosing this cure is the best damn thing that ever happened to you."

Damon began to go up the stairs to his bedroom when he got a text, his phone vibrating. The text was from Stefan regarding Elena.

And, unfortunately, the bourbon had gotten to Damon's head, and for a moment, he forgot about the lonely vampire that he supposedly loved up in his bedroom.

* * *

It was frustrating, being around Elena was she was so careless. Sex wouldn't mean anything to her.

But it would to him.

He hadn't even begun to imagine how Lana would feel after he came home, and he didn't even see her until he had came back downstairs from telling Elena to shower and meet him by his car in a half hour. She was cleaning, frustrated…annoyed…peeved…angry. He didn't know what she was feeling.

He didn't want to find out.

But when Elena had seduced herself with him, not in an entirely sexual way, but in a way that made him feel _something _for her again, he had realized exactly what he needed to do to make it all work. He couldn't take the cowardly way out – compelling Lana to leave. Not again. Truth was, Damon didn't _want _her to leave. He wanted her to stay. He loved her. He wanted _her_.

Maybe he lied about loving her more than he loved Elena. Although feelings change…right?

He stood against a threshold, watching her as she put plastic cups into a paper bag. She didn't even stop when he came in the room, although he knew she knew he was here.

"Are you just going to stand there?" she snapped at him without even looking up. "Oh, that's right. I'm sorry. You do the opposite of what you tell me you're going to do, so how about you just stand there, okay?" Pissed was a more accurate word, really.

"Lana…" he trailed off, putting his hands into his pockets.

"No, Damon, _don't_," Lana snapped again, dropping the trash bag down to the floor. "All we've been doing for these past two weeks have been _lying _to ourselves. I've been lying to you about how I feel when Elena comes onto you and you've been lying to me about how you feel with Elena and…and…" Emotions got the best of her, something that hadn't gotten the best of Elena before.

It suddenly became very clear to Damon. Yes, he liked Elena without her emotions because she didn't care about how bad he was. But there was Lana, who could control her emotions better than…anyone he'd ever known. And she let them get the best of her now when Elena wouldn't let hers get to her at all.

Lana wiped a stray tear from her face. Damon inched closer. "All I wanted to do, Damon, _all _I wanted to do tonight was be with you." She paused to look at him. "And you left me. Literally. _Left. _For who?" He didn't answer, but the answer was obvious. He didn't want to get into that conversation at the moment.

He inched closer again. "What did you want to do with me, Lana, when I was with you? Huh? Pretend we were normal?"

A laugh escaped her mouth. "Damon, we'll never be _normal," _she admitted. "I understand that."

He stepped closer, closing distance. "Then what was it?" He reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her face.

Lana sighed. "It's…stupid…"

"Shh," he hushed her, shaking his head. "Nothing's stupid, Lana, what did you want to do with me?" Damon's eyes sparkled.

"I…." she trailed off and blew a breath of air. "I wanted to dance with you…I guess. I don't know. We never got to do it at the Miss Mystic competition." Lana shrugged and turned away. "It was stupid, right? Just let me finish cleaning—"

Taking her by surprise, Damon took her hand out of thin air and pulled her back to him, not letting her escape. Something he did often. Within seconds, he was moving them back and forth in a dancing motion, giving her what she wanted. Her back was to his front and his hand was rested on her stomach. She tilted her head to the side and sighed, all of the anger mostly gone.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Dancing with you," Damon answered, placing a soft kiss on her neck. "It's what you wanted."

"What I want and what you did today don't cancel out," Lana expressed, but it was hard to focus with Damon's lips on her neck, trailing back and forth, down to her shoulder and up to her ear.

"Does this make it better?" he murmured. Lana shivered, a cold chill running down her spine.

"Damon…"

"I love you," he whispered. "I'm sorry I left you alone in the house all day. It was really not polite of me," Damon admitted, his voice muffled. She sighed. "Please don't be mad at me."

Lana groaned. "Why would I be mad, Damon?" she moved her head to the side to see Damon better. "You only left me to go save your other damsel in distress."

"Don't be jealous," Damon warned, meaning it. His lips moved to her ear to whisper, "I have a surprise for you."

Lana exhaled and said his name again.

"Now," Damon continued, moving them in a turn. "This surprise does involve Elena in it, but that was the only way I could accomplish getting this Cure for Elena while making us both happy." Damon turned her around so she faced him. He pressed her up to his body and leaned close. "Right now, all I want is for Elena to take this Cure and for you and me to be together. Understand?"

"That's why you're trying so hard to get the Cure?" Lana questioned, not believing it. "I thought it was because you want to be the hero for the precious doppelganger." Sarcasm traced her voice venomously. Lana started again, though, the sarcasm gone. "It was for us?" Her voice was soft.

Damon nodded. Maybe if he convinced himself of it, it would work out. "So you understand why Elena has to go with us on this little surprise?"

Lana shrugged. "Depends on what the surprise is," she admitted carefully, and for a second, he saw her repeat his same eye-thing. Damon smiled and pulled her closer, relishing in the sight of her doing his own little maneuver.

"I think you've been spending too much time with me," he admitted, grinning.

Lana chuckled, all the anger gone out the window now. "Hmm…maybe I should stay with Stefan while you and Elena go on your little surprise thing," Lana teased. Damon shook his head.

"Sorry," he told her, spinning them around again. "You're mine."

"And I always have been," Lana replied carefully. "You do know that, right?"

Damon raised his eyebrows. "Even though I…"

Lana shook her head and gripped his hand. "I don't want you to worry about how I felt about that," she told him. "I think that you got the impression that I was…angry. Mad."

Damon nodded. "Aren't you?"

She smiled. "Well, about you just up and leaving me, I was," Lana admitted. Her hand moved to run her fingers through his hair. "But about you feeding off of me…everything that happened…" She let out a long breath. "Honestly, Damon, we wouldn't be here if you hadn't done that…right?"

He looked down at her, more specifically her lips. "I just feel bad."

"Don't," she stopped him. "Don't feel bad." Using his hand as an anchor, she pulled herself up on her toes. "It's the best thing that's happened to me in a long, _long _time."

Things were quiet for a moment before he kissed her, a kiss that he had meant to save the other night before things were ruined by Elena. They didn't have much time, because Elena would be out at the car soon, but he made every second count. If there was one thing he wished, it was that time froze over and they could have a few minutes, just a lonely few minutes to continue the sweet kiss that they were engaged in.

But they didn't.

She pulled herself down from her toes and bit her lip, exhaling loudly and running her hand through her hair.

"So, Mr. Salvatore," Lana teased. "What's the surprise?"

* * *

Damon pressed the _end _button on his phone, cutting Stefan off from his input. Damon figured he had a few hours before Stefan caught on. Elena sat in the back of the car, her feet up on the seat, blowing air out of her mouth. Lana sat in the front next to Damon.

"He's going to hate you for that, you know," Elena told Damon after a moment. Damon shrugged.

"Yeah, well," Damon said carelessly. "He'll get over it."

Elena sighed and Lana looked at Damon.

"So are you going to tell us where you're going now because I'm safely fifty miles away from my sire?" Lana questioned, giving Damon a hint of a smile.

"Sire bond," Elena scoffed. "His love for you is just the sire bond, you know?" Elena questioned the vampire in the front seat.

"Hey," Damon told Elena in the rearview mirror. "No back talking on this trip. You don't mess with her, she doesn't mess with you, understand?" Damon questioned. Elena exhaled.

"It's no fun," she pouted. "But whatever. Yeah," Elena agreed.

"Continuing," Damon said, looking over at the passenger seat to Lana. "We're going to a place that I should've probably up and left the Scooby gang and taken you to for a weekend or something," Damon answered.

Lana laughed. "So that's supposed to give me the answer?"

"It's somewhere where every vampire should be taken once in his or her life." Damon looked at Elena in the back seat, who was anxiously awaiting the revealed place.

"New York," Damon said. "The city that never sleeps."

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I do know that Damon's car is not a four-seater, but this is a Fan Fiction, so let's just pretend it is! Anyway, more soon! But it won't always be this touchy (*tear*) and heartfelt between Lana and Damon. No, things are about to turn sour and bad and just…downright horrific. Especially what I have planned for the season finale. **

**So, remember, ****_please _****tell me in a review whether you want me to continue the story ON THIS ONE or create ****_another _****story that continues (sort of like a sequel). I will be continuing this story on my own without guidance from the series. **

**Fuck Julie Plec. Okay, now I'm done. Whew. Just needed to get that out there. **

**I don't really hate her, but she pisses me off sometimes. **

**ANYWAY! Reviews equal love and love equals more! More updates now that it's summer, guys, and I'm going to be creating a "What should I update" poll to put on my profile, so look out for it!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**

**PS: I forgot to tell you guys! I got Elena's highlights from Episode 17! The only Elena I'll ever like is the New York, emotionless Elena, so I got her highlights because they were just ****_so _****gorgeous! **

**Yeah…okay…sorry about that little thing but…it's pretty cool to me! And I think I look pretty good, too. IDK mood swings, right? **

**Onwards… I'll update soon!**


	27. XXVII

**A/N: Hey guys! Guess who's back with episode 4x17? ME! :)**

**I'm a happy, happy camper. My AC's back on (sorry about the not updating and author's note thing, I had to go over to a friend's house because it was so damn hot, and she didn't have the episode unfortunately), I got new cases for my iPhone, and I'm getting a MacBook on Sunday! Ahh! **

**So, thank you to everyone who read my story, ****_Love Bites, _****and reviewed on it because it really helped me. Keep reading and reviewing guys. **

**And by the way, I have a poll on my profile about what story I should do next I was thinking a Datherine story for you all…?**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I'm going to try and fit the entire episode into this chapter. Oh, Lord how long will this take me. We'll see. **

**Not a bad chapter, push-the-rating wise. I was actually intending to make it a little more steamier, but I decided that I already put too much fluff in it. Besides, if I did put the steamy parts in, we would have an eight-thousand word chapter. No one wants that. **

**Disclaimer: TVD is not mine. Based off of ****_Because the Night _****with my own added character, Lana. None of it is mine besides her and the writing. **

**BY THE WAY! I hope you guys like the new cover! It came out really, really good in my mind! I think it's really cool, but hey! That's just me :)**

* * *

**_XXVII_**

"You dragged me to New York because you were feeling nostalgic?" Elena questioned, her vampire bitchiness showing through her rough exterior.

"No," Damon answered. "I dragged you to New York because, first, _we _get no alone time" –Damon gestured back and forth between Lana and him—"and second, because in a matter of three days, you managed to piss off everyone in Mystic Falls. A little more difficult to do in a city of millions."

"I was hungry," Elena answered blandly, as if it was the perfect excuse for what she did.

"You were reckless."

"Emotionless," Elena countered.

"There's a difference," Lana pointed out. Elena smiled.

"What? No siding with Damon today?" she said, pouting carefully.

Lana rolled her eyes. "You _were _emotionless." She shrugged. "Mere fact."

"Look, all that matters is that – when I lived here – I fed like crazy and had a blast and went undetected for years."

"So," Elena started. "We're just here to have fun. What's the catch?" Elena eyed him carefully as they pulled over to the store-side of the sidewalk.

"There's no catch," Damon told her. "You wanted out, I got you out. You wanted to feed, I brought you to a city-size all you can eat buffet. That's the beauty of New York. There's so much life, that a little death goes unnoticed." Damon shrugged carelessly as Elena smiled.

"So…speaking of," Lana said carefully, interrupting the unwanted silence. "I'm a little hungry."

"For?" Damon proposed. She smiled demonically.

"It depends." She looked at Elena, and they shared a secret look.

"Oh, come on," Damon teased. "Let's go get some lunch."

They continued through the streets of New York, life surrounding them at every corner.

* * *

While Lana and Elena went off on their own for a while to take care of personal needs and to explore the city, Damon sighed into the phone receiver, listening to his brother tell him how irresponsible he was.

"Wait, what do you mean you took them to New York?" Stefan asked angrily.

"And that tone is the reason I didn't pick up the phone the _first _twenty times you called."

"Where are they now?"

"Out exploring," Damon answered with a smile as he rounded a corner. "Maybe she's eating a hot dog…vendor," Damon finished with a large grin.

Stefan inhaled, probably annoyed. "So, I take it your search for Katherine is off?" he proposed.

"Relax, man," Damon told his brother. "This little joy ride is actually a Cure hunt." Damon paused. "Well, part of it was. I figured if I only took Lana, Elena would get suspicious…so…"

"Wait," Stefan said. "Does Lana know about this little Cure hunt?"

"Yes," Damon answered. "I told her before we got in the car to go to New York. She's going to help keep Elena under the radar." Damon paused when Stefan didn't answer. "Look, that vampire that Katherine sent after Hayley is a friend of mine. He lived in the city. _Will _got vampires fake identities, and I'm _sure _that Katherine was one of his clients."

"And Elena's okay with this little field trip? Just yesterday she was living the vampire high life. She doesn't want the Cure."

"That's why I didn't tell her," Damon said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Damon, if she finds out you're still looking for it, she'll bolt."

"I'm aware of that, Stefan. What I'm hoping is that she'll be so wasted on boos and blood, she won't even think about it," Damon answered.

"Don't underestimate her."

"Listen, if I can handle you when you flipped your switch, I can handle her. Trust me." Damon paused. "Besides. I've got my girlfriend helping out around the place."

"Damon…" Stefan trailed off.

"Yes, yes, brother, I know. Blah, blah, blah, don't hurt her, I'll kill you. Got that covered." Damon fumed. Lana was _his, _not his brothers, and this time, his brother would have to deal with being the one she would not choose.

Stefan sighed and moved on. "Listen to me, Elena's ruthless without her humanity. The Cure is the fastest way to get it back." He paused. "And you're right, you hurt Lana and I'll kill you."

"No worries there," Damon said as he turned around and began looking through the crowd for Lana and Elena. They were supposed to meet up at Billy's, the bar he was standing in front of, around this time.

"Just be a good brother and keep Mystic Falls afloat for me and let me do my thing," Damon said as he finally found the two people he was searching for. Something was…different. Damon swallowed hard, feeling his fingers go numb…which was good. Really good. Just not good in public. Continuing, he spoke into the phone. "You've got an immortal named Silas to deal with, remember?"

Damon hung up the phone to see two women in front of him, one with the color blue ringing in his head and one with the color red ringing in his vision.

Lana walked over to him and fit her hand through his arm while he watched Elena flip her hair at him and smile.

"You like what we did to her hair?" Lana asked Damon, looking at Elena. "She wanted a new look for the new Elena," Lana explained.

"Yeah…" Damon said. "Looks great." He looked at Lana and smiled. "Though you didn't mention what got you into the new look," he teased.

She frowned. "You don't like it?" she questioned, seeing his expression as a look of disapproval. Damon grimaced.

"Seriously?" he looked at her. She looked at him with alarm. "It's so hot," he told her, eyeing her distinctively. "Come here." He kissed her while playing with the ends of her blue strands of hair in the front.

Lana shook her head and released her lips from his. "Okay, well then I better get a little away from you now before you start going overboard and crash into the touchy-feely zone in front of the entire city." She paused to look at Elena. "And the emotionless vampire over here."

"Oh, I don't care," Elena said, shrugging. "You two look good together, anyway." Quickly, she moved on. "Can I get a drink or…?"

Elena looked over at the bar.

"A bar!" she said excitedly and looked at Damon. It was like a kid in a candy store. "Are there people inside? Can I eat…?" Elena trailed off suspiciously.

Lana chuckled. "Elena, we just fed. Like, _twice_."

Elena shrugged. "You can never have too many people." She started towards the bar and Damon and Lana shortly followed.

"How was she?" Damon asked quietly, too quiet for Elena to hear.

"Fine," Lana answered. "Drained two people like nobody's business, though," she answered.

Damon sighed. "Did you clean it up?"

"Yes," Lana told him. "What a funny way to spend a romantic vacation to New York with your boyfriend."

"We have all the time in the world tonight," Damon told her. "Trust me."

They stepped inside of the bar. "Looks about right," Damon said, a little louder. Elena grumbled, not liking that the bar was empty.

Elena sighed. "I was promised hedonism," she said clearly and sadly.

"Well, it's early," Damon countered. "Hedonism isn't a big fan of the sunlight."

"Or soap," Elena mumbled.

"I've got to agree, Damon," Lana said, trailing her finger across one of the counters and collecting about ten years' worth of dust.

"Easy, judgy little girls," Damon told them, turning around after nostalgically roaming the place with his eyes. "Not everyone got a hot new haircut today." Elena made a cute face and Lana just rolled her eyes.

"You want to go get one, Damon?" Lana asked, a smile on her face while she tilted her head. "How about you join the color family? Purple highlights, maybe?"

Damon frowned at her. "Okay, I'm pretty sure if you suggested that to Stefan, he would rip your guts out." Lana giggled and looked back at Elena. "Give it a couple of hours – this place will be crawling with more punked-out nihilists than you can eat, trust me."

"How do you know?" Lana asked Damon as she stood beside the table Elena was leaning on. Damon leaned on the table, too.

"Because I spent most of the seventies here," he answered. "The Factory was too clean, the CBGB's was too high-profiled." He paused to look around. "But Billy's…Billy's was the underground of the underground."

"You got Lexied?" Elena laughed after Damon told the short story of how Lexi had shown up to ruin Damon's parade back in the 70s.

Before Damon could answer, Rebekah Mikaelson made her dramatic entrance, pinning Damon's head to the table. Damon grunted.

"Following a lead without me, Damon?" Rebekah proposed. "Poor form, Damon."

Elena tilted her head in wonder.

_Shit, _Lana thought. _Damn Rebekah. _

Rebekah smiled at Elena and Lana while her hand still pinned Damon right to the table's surface.

* * *

"I have to say, I'm a little hurt, Damon. I thought we made a good team. Not without its fireworks, but what classic pairing isn't?" Rebekah let the poor male vampire up from the table.

"Wait, what the hell are you talking about?" Elena questioned.

"Damon's following a lead to the Cure. I'm following him," Rebekah answered. Lana felt like she wanted to do a mental face-palm. "Notice your name never came up." Rebekah smiled gingerly at the red-streaked, emotionless vampire.

"You're doing what?"

"Wha…" Damon started but quickly tried to make up an excuse. "How does it feel to be wrong…all the time?" Damon proposed to the blonde-haired Original. "I brought Elena here to feed. I mean, Mystic Falls isn't exactly Vamp-Xanadu right now.

"Right, so you drove seven hours to New York City?" Rebekah questioned, not believing his crap.

"Yes," Damon answered. "And as I was explaining to Elena and Lana before we were so _rudely _interrupted, my history in this city has a particular resonance to her current situation." Elena raised her eyebrow. "When I had _my _humanity off," Damon finished.

"Wha—" Lana started. "Has _everyone _turned their humanity off except for _me_?"

"You've only been a vampire for a month or so now," Rebekah countered.

Lana frowned. "But _still. _I mean, there's Stefan, then there's Damon, then there's Elena, then there's everyone else and their _freaking _mother!" she shouted. "What is so _special _about having your emotions off?"

Elena smiled. "It's fun," she said. "You should try it." Elena paused. "Want to be emotionless with me?"

"Lana…don't..answer that," Damon said, redirecting her. "It's not fun to have your humanity off. You feel nothing." He paused. "And when you turn it back on…"

"_If_," Elena corrected, obviously indirectly stating she did not want to turn her humanity on again.

"If," Damon corrected.

After Damon told the Lexi story, Rebekah sighed. "Wow, she sounds dreadful."

"She had a Mother Theresa complex," he defended.

"So let me guess. After many dark nights with Lexi, she convinced you to turn your emotions back on and that's exactly what you plan to do with me."

"Wow. You read the last page of the book first, too?" Damon asked, smiling a bit.

Damon sighed when Elena rolled her eyes and walked away. "I'm going to get a drink. Many drinks." He looked at Lana. "Join me?"

"In a second," she promised. Damon looked alarmed, but he ended up walking away. When they were alone, Rebekah asked Elena, "So," she started. "You really buy all this."

"Not one bit," Elena admitted. "I know he's after the Cure." Elena eyed Lana very carefully. "Shouldn't you be with him now?"

"Damon's giving me a headache," Lana said, leaning up against one of the walls but then deciding against it with her better judgment. "By the way, he is after the Cure."

"Called it," Rebekah sang.

"I'm not stupid," Elena said.

"Let's not say things we don't mean," Rebekah told Elena. For a moment, Elena smiled.

"Damon is like a dog with a bone," Elena started. "Stefan, too. They're not going to stop until they find the Cure and then _make _me take it." Elena sighed. "So I guess I'll just have to find it first." Elena looked at Lana. "If you tell him that, I'll rip your throat out. I'm emotionless, I don't care anymore."

"Chill out, Elena," Lana said, sighing and running a hand through her new hair. "I love Damon, and maybe Stefan, too. But they're spending way too much effort on the Cure." Lana paused. "To be honest, Elena…" Lana trailed off. "I like_ this _version better than the old you."

"Much better," Rebekah agreed.

"And truth be told, so do I," Elena told them. "So that's why I'm not taking this Cure and I'm going to destroy it before Damon and Stefan can ever get to it."

"You're playing him," Rebekah filled in.

"No, he's playing me," Elena said seriously, but then smiled. "I'm just returning the favor."

* * *

Come nightfall, it was overly crowded with punked-out nihilists, just like Damon had said.

"He's going to look for Will's apartment in the back," Lana told Elena quietly.

"Great," Elena said. "Then why don't we ditch him and get this over with?"

"Not a smart idea," Lana said, sipping at the beer she had ordered. "Damon will know. We want him _not _to know so that we have a head start, right?" She paused and leaned over the table. "Here's what I suggest. I'll go with him, we'll get the paper, you'll invite him to the roof, you'll leave, I'll step in, distract him for a few minutes, you steal his car…he'll never know it was me who ratted him out and all's well that ends well," Lana theorized.

Elena shook her head. "I have a better idea." She finished her sentence just as Damon brought over shots.

Elena laughed. "Is this..allowed? What would Lexi say?" It was a refined version of WWLD – What Would Lexi Do?

"Lexi thought the only way I would turn my emotions back on was if I started enjoying my life again." They all clinked glasses.

"Do not tell me she took you to Bon Jovi concerts, too." Rebekah said as she drowned her shot. Both Elena and Lana finished theirs at the same time.

"No," Damon answered as he tipped his glass. "Wrong decade." He finished the shot. "Lexi was not allowed to feed with Stefan. I didn't have that problem." Damon paused. "And neither do you." He extended his hand towards Elena and another hand towards Lana. Elena began to move up and down to the rhythm with a smile on her face. Lana plastered one on hers, but it wasn't the best. They pulled Rebekah out to the crowd with them, too.

"I'm hungry," Elena stated, taking off her jacket and shoving it towards Damon. Damon nodded.

"Pick," he said and looked over to Lana. "You want one, too?"

She bit her lip. "I shouldn't…" she trailed off. Damon eyed her.

"Oh, come on," he said, a hint of a smile on his face. "It'll be fun. Broody Stefan isn't here to kill your mood," Damon proposed.

"Damon, I can't," Lana said carefully. "Stefan…"

_Shit, _Damon thought to himself. He looked at Lana and grabbed her hands.

"What did my brother do?" Damon asked her. Lana sighed.

"Don't be upset…"

Elena pulled her head up. "Damon!" she shouted over the music. Damon looked at her, her lip bloody and the girl's neck right under her grasp. Damon sighed and walked over to Elena, pausing his conversation with Lana. He began to feed on the human for a minute before he pulled away and pulled in Rebekah. "Your turn," he proposed.

Rebekah smiled and walked up to the human and began feeding off of the same bite that Damon had implanted on the blonde human.

"Come on," Damon whispered and grabbed Lana's hand. She went with him right as Elena pulled her head up to see them walking away.

* * *

"What happened with Stefan, Lana?" Damon asked as they walked down a hall to Will's apartment.

"He called earlier," she explained. "And he said…"

"That you can't feed on a human?" Damon asked, his voice rough and hard. "What a dick."

"Damon, leave it alone. He's just trying to make sure I don't hurt anyone."

"Yeah? By doing what? Ruining my fun time with you?" As soon as they walked into Will's apartment, he closed the door and spun around. "Do you know how _good _it feels to have two vampires feeding off of the same human body?"

"Oh, that's not supposed to make me jealous about what you just did with Elena at _all_," she countered, her face red. Damon reached out to brush his thumb across her cheek.

"It's all a roux, sweetie," Damon assured her. "I wanted it to be with you." He turned around. "But that damn brother of mine can't seem to let me have any fun." When Damon realized that the apartment was completely trashed, Damon groaned. "Ugh. Pack rat."

After Stefan and Damon had a nice little chat on the phone, after Stefan had given Damon Katherine's birth date exactly, Damon pulled out the file and ended the call with Stefan, also giving him a piece of his mind about the whole Lana-no-feeding debacle. Stefan had argued it was a good thing to do. Damon argued that he was being a prick who was trying to ruin his relationship.

"Relax," Lana commanded Damon after he got off the phone with Stefan. Damon sighed heavily. "Look, Stefan's all the way in Mystic Falls and I'm _right _here. Just because I can't feed off of a human with you _tonight _doesn't mean we can't do it in the future." She pulled him by his collar. "Actually…I could think of a few things we _could _do that Stefan did _not _tell me I wasn't allowed to do."

Damon smirked for a moment, realizing what she meant. "Hm? And what's that?"

Lana pulled Damon to him and kissed him, and for a few moments, they finally had some peace and quiet from Elena, Stefan, Rebekah, and basically the whole world. Sure, Lana was a little torn at lying to Damon about the whole stealing-the-Cure thing, but she wasn't too happy with the way that Stefan and Damon were tracking down this Cure like it was their only savior to get Elena back and make her choose. Was it so selfish to want just a little time with Damon before Elena made her choice and it might turn out to be Damon?

But none of that mattered now. Damon's hands cupped her face as he kissed her deeply…Until that moment was ruined by none other than Miss Emotionless Elena Gilbert.

And she just stood there until Lana pulled away and eyed Elena evilly.

Damon sighed. "Elena," he said.

"What are you doing back here?" she asked.

"It's not obvious to you?" Lana asked sharply. "Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe that hair dye seeped into your brain," she shot. Elena rolled her eyes.

"Hate. Emotion. Yuck," Elena said and turned to Damon. "I'm bored."

"Okay," Damon sighed. "Time to perk the vampire Elena up with the best story about the time in my seventies. The time I spent with Lexi." Grabbing Lana's hand, he ushered Elena out the door as fast as possible. "Come on, I'll tell you about it."

* * *

"You and Lexi?" Elena asked. "Here? On the bar?"

"On the bar, on the stage, on the roof…" Damon trailed off. "It was a very long night."

Elena was surprised, but Lana was not. "Eh." Lana shrugged when Elena asked her why she wasn't shocked. "He tired me out so much when I was human, I'd hate to think what he'd do with a vampire. And even then…"

"Oh, you enjoy it," Damon nudged her in the arm. "Everyone does."

Lana rolled her eyes. "That wasn't the question, Damon, but yeah, sure, it's good."

He looked offended by the statement. "Just good? Maybe that's my cue to take you up to the roof and show you how good I am," Damon said with a teasing smile on his face. Lana laughed and took a sip out of her drink.

"Don't tease, Damon, it's not nice."

Elena bit her lip for a moment and grabbed a bottle of alcohol from underneath the bar counter and began to leave the bar. "Where are you going?" Damon asked her.

"To the roof," Elena said. "I want to hear the rest of the story." Elena looked at Lana. "Why don't you keep Rebekah some company down here?"

Damon looked at Lana and shot her a look, one that said to obey Elena. After giving her a small kiss on the lips, Damon got up from the bar and followed Elena to the roof.

"Looks like you're losing him," Rebekah said once Damon and Elena were gone. Lana sighed.

"Damon loves me now," Lana said and shrugged. "Besides, Elena doesn't want him. She wouldn't sleep with him for that list."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Rebekah countered and sipped her drink. Lana shrugged again.

"Damon wouldn't let it go that far." _Maybe…_

A moment of silence passed before Rebekah spoke again. "I would get up there before things get too bad."

"Yep." Lana set her drink on the bar before walking away to the roof.

* * *

"I've never done it on a rooftop before," Elena said seductively as she inched closer to Damon. Damon began to think for a moment. What was this about? Elena coming onto him? She knew he had a girlfriend now.

"I want this," she said after he refused. "_You _want this. No matter how hard you could try to get over me with the other girl, it'll never be as much as you want me."

That was a complete and total lie. He wanted Lana more now that Elena was emotionally unavailable to him. But then there was that shred of love that still wanted Elena more than life, itself.

That's what didn't stop him from kissing Elena when she kissed him.

Her mouth tasted like boos and blood, exactly like he had told Stefan she would be high on by the end of the night. Elena devoured his mouth, not in the sweet, innocent way you could when you were a vampire, but in the most passionate, lustful way you could kiss a person when you had your emotions off.

Something was wrong.

"Oh, seriously?" Lana shouted when she got up to the rooftop. Damon pulled away and Elena pulled back reluctantly, majorly pissed off. "The 'I've never done it' line? Yeah, that's original, Elena. Get a fucking life." Lana looked at Damon. "_You_," she said.

"Lana…I…"

"Leave, Elena, now." Lana moved towards Damon and kissed him, taking him off guard. _What the…_?

When she pulled away. She looked at Elena. Damon didn't know it, but at the time, Lana had hid the paper behind her back and Elena saw it.

"Leave, because, unlike you, I've done it on a rooftop before and it's incredibly amazing." _Damn, she was good._ Damon didn't suspect a thing. Elena appreciating left while snatching the paper out of Lana's hand.

When Elena was safely gone, Damon looked at Lana. "I was doing it to see whether or not she would go for the paper." He took a sip out of the beverage bottle Elena had left up there. "The boos…the sex appeal…it didn't really work on me."

Lana laughed. There was no anger, but there was a little jealousy. "Oh, I am so very clearly able to see that, Damon."

"I'm serious," Damon replied. "I _invented _that trick."

After he finished telling the final bit of the story about Lexi, Lana stared at him, open-mouthed. "You just…left her? You slept with her, took off her ring, and left her?"

Damon shrugged. "I was emotionless," he remarked. "We don't really think as rationally as we think we do."

Lana paused. "Which sex was the best?" she asked. Damon choked.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on." Lana groaned. "The bar top sex…the stage sex…the rooftop sex," she answered. "Which one was the best?"

Damon paused for a moment, debating which one he should answer. None of them? The bathroom sex they had was the best? "The rooftop sex," Damon admitted.

Lana smiled. "Well then," she said, moving closer to him. "Show me how it's done."

And that was what occupied him until the dawn broke out before the clouds.

* * *

"We'll give Katherine your best."

When Elena hung up the phone, Damon whipped around and saw Lana, standing by the edge of the rooftop, looking over it. "What a nice view…" she trailed off.

"You did this!" Damon said, outraged. "You set me up! You let them take the list of P.O boxes and you kept me…" he trailed off, but then continued, "_distracted _while they left."

"It's not my fault you respond the best to sex," Lana shrugged lightly. "And, after all, you were the one who invented the idea, remember."

"Lana, you have _no _idea what you've just done," Damon growled. Lana sighed.

"Yes, Damon, because despite the fact that both you _and _Stefan think that I'm the weakest one in this entire group—"

"You _are, _don't you see that?" Damon shouted. "You are the weakest one and the one that no one needs around here! I can't believe I ever _brought _you here. I was so _stupid_."

Lana groaned. "Damon, these hateful words you're saying aren't going to make me apologize," she answered indirectly. "I'm _not _sorry for letting Elena get the Cure first. You shouldn't force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"She doesn't even _know _if she wants to take the cure or not." Damon rubbed his forehead. "Jut…be quiet, Lana, or I'm going to make Stefan use the sire bond against you and make you cooperate."

This made her angry. "You know, I don't have to _stay _with you guys!" she fumed. "I _don't _have to help you with this. I was only trying to help you because I wanted to be with you and I wanted Stefan to be with Elena so that none of us would be jealous, but here we are again!" Lana yelled. "You're kissing Elena on the rooftop of some crappy bar and making her feel like the best person in the world when _I'm _your girlfriend."

"I just spent two _hours _making you feel like the best person in the world," Damon countered. "So you should really stop talking now."

Their conversation was on pause as Damon rose the phone up to talk with Stefan. They explained each other's faults before Damon told Stefan that Lana was the one who set him up.

"Be nice to her," Stefan snapped. "So she messed up? We'll find Elena, okay? We'll find the Cure, she'll take it, and this will all be over with." Afterwards, they hung up the phone.

"Lana, I'm—" Damon turned around, but his voice was cut when he ended up staring at empty air. "Lana?" he called out.

She wasn't there.

* * *

In fact, Lana Mercer was around the corner, at a pay phone booth, calling Damon's cell phone, when Elena Gilbert picked up.

"Hello?" Elena asked into the phone, cheerful.

"Where are you?" Lana growled into the phone. "I just got my _ass _handed to me by a two hundred year old vampire and I can't stand him anymore."

Elena chuckled and told her where she was and where they were planning to stop next. "Catch the next bus and we'll meet you there," Elena said, and within two seconds, the phone was dead, and the phone hung by its lead.

* * *

**A/N: So…yeah. A little drama here. But next chapter…oh. Yeah, hold onto your seats for that one. So, ****_American Gothic _****next, ****_Pictures of You _****afterwards, skipping over the Originals, continuing with ****_She's Come Undone, The Walking Dead, _****and then finally, ****_Graduation_****. So I presume it'll be about thirty-five chapters when I'm done with it. I'm going to start splitting up the chapters now. You know, we'll see. But I will be adding in more original-idea parts. **

**Reviews equal love and love equals more. **

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**

**PS: Don't forget to read my story ****_Love Bites. _****I seriously need help on it. If you like the Damon/OC fanfics…you know…just saying.**

**And vote on the poll on my profile to tell me what story you want next!**

**Who knows! Maybe I'll be writing the TVD season finale on my new MacBook! Well, you know, we'll be getting there soon! And then we'll be off to my own little mind-world where shit will definitely go down. Forewarning, emotionless vampire Lana will be seen, I promise you this. **


	28. XXVIII

**A/N: So I got my MacBook and I'm writing on it! I can't wait for you guys to see how the next few chapters play out…it won't be all hearts and candy, that's for sure. We passed that stage. Maybe you'll see ****_some _****hearts in the next few chapters…**

**So, I decided I'm making a sequel to this story. I still need some help on the names, so if you have suggestions, I'm all ears! And the sequel will not be off of season 5, so as soon as I finish this story and finish the first chapter of the next, I will upload it. Though I am going to make you guys painfully wait for at least a week :)**

**Enjoy the chapter everyone. So I changed my other story's title to ****_Kill of the Night, _****so will you please check it out? Thank you. **

**Disclaimer: Based off of ****_American Gothic, _****with my own little twists. Lana is mine as is the writing and the plot…some part of it.**

* * *

**_XXVIII_**

Elena pulled to the side of the street, angered and very, very hungry.

Rebekah followed in Elena's pursuit. "Why are we stopping?" Lana got out of the car with Rebekah and Elena, who were in the midst of a catfight. They had picked her up earlier at one of the bus stations after they had ditched Damon's car. Frankly, the newest vampire couldn't care less.

"We've searched three cities in the last twenty four hours, I'm sick of Top Forty radio and I smell like _leather_," Elena complained, looking around potentially for a meal.

"And that's my fault? You're the one who stole the list of Katherine's possible whereabouts. Did you ever think that Damon had bad information?"

"He didn't," Lana countered.

Elena continued on, ignoring Lana's interruption. "Have I mentioned I can't stand the sound of your voice?" Elena said to Rebekah, her back turned.

"Too bad. We're not done," Rebekah retorted. "Get in. Next town." Her sentences were choppy, but they were effective. Elena turned around, but her eyes focused, not on Rebekah or Lana, but on a red-haired human loading things into her car.

"In a minute," Elena said, in a blood trance. "I'm hungry."

"Of _course _you are," Lana groaned.

As Elena began walking forward to the red-haired human, Rebekah spoke loudly – and very angrily. "We're not here for a pub crawl, Elena. I want the Cure, Katherine has it. We don't stop until we find her."

Elena turned around to face the Original vampire who could snap her neck in two. "I said, in a minute," she countered. It wasn't too long before Elena flashed over to the red-haired human, crazed and ready to feed.

"Oh," the human said after jumping slightly. "You startled me."

"Did I?" Elena asked sweetly, but then her fangs came out and the veins popped beneath her eyes. She went in for the neck, teeth bared.

"Katherine, what are you doing?"

It was just as Rebekah and Lana had flashed to Elena, most likely to pull Elena off of the innocent human. But hearing that name, Elena pulled away, bewildered.

"You know me?" Elena asked, pretending to be her doppelganger. Lana watched intently. Did they really look that much alike?

"Of…course," the woman replied. "I know most people in town prefer you to feed from the neck, but I asked you to feed from my wrist…remember?" The woman showed Elena her wrist, along with its two little vampire holes.

"Compulsion?" Lana guessed quietly. Rebekah gaped.

"Conniving little bitch compelled the whole town," Rebekah relayed.

Elena looked at Lana and Rebekah. "I think we just found Katherine."

* * *

"What's my full name?" Elena asked.

"Katherine Pierce," the woman responded. Looking at Elena's red streaks, she smiled. "I love the new 'do by the way," she commented.

Elena didn't respond, but Rebekah did.

"So how do you know Katherine?" she asked.

The woman looked confused. "How do I know who?" the girl asked.

"Me?" Elena filled in, understanding. "How do you know me?"

"Small town. Everybody knows everybody."

"So everybody knows Katherine?" Lana asked. The girl looked at her, bewildered again.

"I-I'm sorry…I don't know who you're talking about," the woman said in an apologetic tone.

Lana blinked. Rebekah smiled. "She compelled people to forget all about her unless she was talking to them herself. Clever girl," Rebekah explained.

It was Elena's cue. "So how long have we known each other?" she asked. It was time for her to do all the talking, because she's the only one who could.

"It's…been a while, I can't remember."

"Where do I live?" Elena bombarded the girl with questions. "Where do I work?"

"I…don't know," the human said, partially laughing.

Elena, on the other hand, was not. "Who do I hang out with? Do I have any friends?"

"You said…we can all be friends with you. As long as we kept your secret."

"What secret?" Elena asked cautiously.

"I…I don't know."

Elena, angered, realized there was nothing more she could do.

"Was that what I was like?" Lana asked Rebekah quietly.

Rebekah inhaled. "For the few minutes I knew you before I compelled you to remember…" she trailed off. "Yes. Yes you were."

* * *

"If they so much as even scratched the paint on my car…"

"Well, let's just be grateful Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them, uh…you know, steal it from you."

On the side of the road, Damon had two gas cans in his hand while Stefan walked free. They moved to his car, which had been abandoned on the side of the road.

Damon hadn't found Lana yet, but he had a good idea of where she was. He was so idiotic to yell at her like that – but then again, she had literally ruined their chance at finding the Cure to give to Elena. _Damn her and her skills, _Damon thought.

But he tried not to think about it anymore. "Remind me to send her mini-muffins," he responded. Sighing, he continued. "Do we really need 10 gallons of gas or are you just making me lug this around as punishment?" Damon accused his brother.

"Well they ditched your car after it ran out of fuel. We've got to fill it up. We've got a hundred miles until we get to Willoughby."

"Yeah, well I don't remember that name from the list of places I got from New York."

"Oh, the list!" Stefan said, sarcastically excited. "You mean the list they stole from right under your nose after you let your guard down by having sex with your girlfriend on a roof for two hours while Elena and Rebekah made their clean getaway?"

"Oh, jealous Stefan, what joy." Damon grimaced. "Listen, you would've done the same thing. I didn't think it was a trap. Besides, that has nothing to do with the fact that I don't remember that name from the list."

Stefan groaned. "They'll be there. Sheriff Forbes tracked down the car they stole after yours."

"Screw the muffins," Damon said after putting the gallon bottle into the fuel import. "I'll get her champagne. If Elena is wherever it may be."

"Willoughby." Stefan smiled. "The cream corn capital of Pennsylvania."

"Willoughby," Damon mouthed sarcastically.

Stefan inhaled. "They'll be there. Let's just hope we get to them before we get to the Cure."

"Ooh…silver lining!" Damon smiled. "If Rebekah takes the Cure, she's mortal, then we can just kill her right then and there." The bright side."

"Ooh, dark cloud," Stefan countered. "Elena stays a vampire forever." He paused. "And have you even thought of _why _Lana probably went with Rebekah and Elena?"

"Oh, I don't know, all mighty one," Damon quipped. "Why don't _you _tell _me _what _she's _thinking."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Has the thought crossed you that _she _wants to be human?" Stefan asked his brother seriously. "Rebekah took her life from her when it wasn't even necessary. You had set her free already. Yeah, she would've gone through life with that black hole in her memory, but she would still be _human_." Stefan paused. "And if she does somehow happen to take the Cure, are you going to kill her than?"

"Dark cloud," Damon muttered.

Stefan sighed once more. "Look, why don't you just table the revenge fantasies and just keep your eyes on the prize? Find Katherine, get the Cure, and get out before you get your neck snapped…again."

Damon looked out into the distance while waiting for the fuel to drain fully into the car. "Believe me, I learned my lesson. Elena without humanity is a stone-cold bitch and I won't trust her until we get the old Elena back."

"Look at that. Finally on the same page about something."

The brothers took in the joke. Damon slapped his hand to his side. "Look at that."

* * *

Elena, Rebekah, and Lana walked up to the post office, hoping to find Katherine's address with the help of Elena's looks. "Hey, excuse me. Um, did I get any mail today?"

"What happened to your hair?" the post office man asked.

"Uh…I cut it," Elena said.

"In the last two minutes?" the man accused.

Elena's eyes widened. "I was here two minutes ago?" she asked carefully.

"Are you…feeling okay, Miss Pierce?" the man asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Um…thanks." A smile spread across Elena's face. They weren't far from Katherine. Katherine has the Cure. They weren't far from the Cure.

_We're almost done with this crap, _Lana thought angrily.

"She was here two minutes ago, that means she can't be that far. Um…how about you check inside and I'll check in the parking lot." Elena looked at Lana. "Pick. Who are you going with?"

"Rebekah," Lana answered quickly. She didn't want to spend any more time with Emotionless Elena. She might be better than the old one, but now she's got a new level of bitchiness. A good level, but a new one. The group split up. Elena walked to the parking lot, where she saw hair that was very much familiar to her doppelgangers.

Hiding behind a mail truck, she waited, but the woman who stepped out of the car was not Katherine Pierce.

Without really knowing what happened, Elena was pinned up against the mail truck by her throat. Katherine Pierce held her against it, smiling lightly.

"I'm impressed," she growled. "I never thought you would find me here." She shoved her harder. Oh, well, it's a beautiful place to die."

Rebekah and Lana appeared at that moment, and Rebekah moved forward and pursued Katherine, pushing her off of Elena and onto the concrete. With a hair flip, Rebekah smiled.

"I couldn't agree more," Rebekah breathed. "You've chosen a beautiful place to die."

* * *

"Where's the Cure?" Elena questioned.

Katherine, her arms crossed, glared at Elena from across the table. "What? No 'I'm here to avenge my annoying little brother' speech?"

"People die. We move on." Elena took a sip of her drink.

For a moment, Katherine tried to make sense of it. It didn't make sense. But then she realized. "After turning off our humanity switch," she understood.

"So sad for the boys, though. Their special snowflake of human frailty…gone." Katherine cut a look to Lana, who was sitting quietly beside Elena, drinking her drink. "And you are?"  
"Lana," the vampire answered cautiously, trying not to give away too much information. It was confusing, how people could tell Katherine and Elena apart. With Elena's humanity switch off, it seemed hard. With her humanity on, it seemed easy, but Elena had her moments. And Katherine could probably act like a perfect princess, too.

"Your importance?" Katherine countered. "Not a human. A vampire. What, are you the brother's new play toy?" Katherine scoffed and no one spoke. Not even Lana.

The Pierce vampire sighed. "Well if we're going to be a while, I'm going to grab some menus."

Before Katherine got half of her weight out of the seat, Rebekah flashed and put a fork straight through Katherine's hand, pinning her to the table. Katherine winced and grunted through her teeth.

"You're not going anywhere."

"I forgot how charming you were," Katherine said through her teeth, turning back to Rebekah.

"I'm surprised you remember me at all. Seeing as though you were so…busy wedging yourself between my brothers."

Katherine lowered her eyes as the waitress bearing another pot of coffee came up to the table. The human gasped.

"Oh my God. What happened?" So calm, well, not really for a compelled human. _Just a fork straight through the hand,_ Lana thought with venom tracing her voice. Violence might've been rough, but it was the best way to gain information.

Under the table, Elena kicked Katherine in the shin, indirectly telling the older vampire to say something and let the human move on.

Katherine sighed. "I'm fine, Jillian. You didn't see anything," she compelled, having no other option.  
"Every minute you two waste with your yapping is another minute we give Stefan and Damon to find us," Elena whispered. Rebekah took this as her cue to wrap things up. She grabbed Katherine by her chin and pulled her close to compel her.

"Where is the Cure?" Rebekah questioned.

"I'm sorry." Katherine smiled. "I'm on vervain."

"Vampires can do that?" Lana asked, double-taking.

"Oh, I get to torture it out of you. Fun." Rebekah released Katherine and she sat back in her seat.

"Why do you two want it anyway?" Katherine asked. "Why are _you _with them?" The question was meant for the silent vampire.

"I have my reasons," Lana explained.

"Question is," Rebekah moved on. "Why do you want it? Let me guess, to kill Niklaus?"

"I've spent the last five hundred years running from your brother," Katherine shot. "I have no intention of being within sniffing distance of him." Inhaling, Katherine revealed her punch line. "But, since it can be used against him, I'm sure he's just itching to get his hands on it. I give him the Cure, he gives me my freedom."

"Ah, you poor victim." Elena sighed. "Where's the part in your plan where you screw us over and somebody dies?"

"I have no reason to screw you over," Katherine admitted. Elena scoffed, and so did Rebekah. Lana had nothing to compare it to. "I know you don't believe me, but it's the truth. People change. I'm not the girl you think I am."

Rebekah sighed, bored, and reached forward with vampire speed. After a few minutes of Katherine trying to shift, Rebekah finally got Katherine's phone.

"I don't have it on me!" Katherine objected. Rebekah tossed Elena the phone and Elena began to search her calendar.

"I didn't think you did," Rebekah admitted. "But I'm sure there's something in _that _that can help us find it," she explained.

"Who's Em?" Elena asked, a smirk on her face.

"A friend," Katherine said after a moment of hesitation.

"It says here that you're meeting at two," Elena read. Katherine lowered her eyes to the table. "I guess I'll just have to meet Em myself." Rebekah smiled.

Katherine glared at her doppelganger from across the table.

* * *

"Something's not right," Damon said suspiciously. "Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P-A."

"Well this is definitely the car they stole. We're in the right place." Stefan and Damon circled the car, as if inspecting it.

"Points for them for their choice in vehicles," Damon admitted.

"So let me ask you something," Stefan said, not directly talking to Damon. "What happens when we find Elena? How do we get her to come back to Mystic Falls? I mean, she's not exactly going to go quietly. And she has an Original vampire as her body guard."

"We do whatever we have to do," Damon answered. "I don't care if we have to throw Rebekah in front of a school bus and wrap Elena in a burlap set. We do whatever we have to do."

"I'm serious."

"I am, too. I don't care what Elena wants right now. She's _this _close to going off the rails for good and that ain't happening. She's a pain enough as it is," Damon mumbled.

"When did _you _start caring again?" Stefan asked. "It doesn't matter to you. You got the other girl. Why don't you just let Elena go? Besides, what happened to the guy who thought Elena should _embrace _being a vampire? Let the chips fall where they may?"

Damon shot his brother a look. "That guy got his ass handed to him after some really nice sex and this guy is _royally _pissed off."

"Yeah, so pissed off you pissed off Lana and made her join Team Elena."

"Did you _hear _what she just did to me? She was Team Elena before she tricked me!" Damon walked off, not wanting to hear anything else. He was already pissed off at the woman – women – he loved and did not want to be pissed off by his brother, too.

* * *

Elena walked out of the bathroom and closed the compact mirror while walking back to the booth in the middle of the diner.

"What do you think?" Elena asked Rebekah.

Rebekah hummed. "Hm. It's close. Not quite slutty enough – I think you need more eyeliner."

Elena chuckled and directed her attention to Katherine, who was miserably watching the conversation and glaring at Rebekah after the comment she announced. "I'm going to need your clothes," Elena told Katherine.

Katherine scoffed. "Yeah, _that's _going to happen."

"Fine," Elena answered. "Your bracelet. Watch. Earrings. Hand them over." She reached over and pulled the fork out of Katherine's hand. Rebekah laughed when Katherine groaned.

Katherine pulled off her watch and her earrings. "And your other bracelet."

"That's my daylight bracelet," Katherine said, as if Elena was stupid. "It's daytime outside. I'm going to need it. Besides, it's not going to work on you."

Elena looked at her. "Fine. I really am going to need that jacket, though." Elena's eyes flickered to Rebekah when Katherine hesitated. Rebekah pulled at the doppelganger's hair. Katherine screamed in pain.

"All right. Fine. Fine. _Fine._" Rebekah released her as Katherine began to strip her jacket and Elena did the same.

"This will never work, you know. The bad haircut. The doe eyes." Katherine tossed the jacket to Elena. "You'll never pass for me."

"Throatier. More mannish," Rebekah instructed.

"You'll _never _pass for me," Elena relayed. Rebekah smiled.

"You two are pathetic."

"You two are pathetic."

"Oh, perfect. Just the right level of contempt and hidden insecurity." Rebekah said in her English accent.

To be honest, Lana found a major difference between the two doppelgangers. Honestly, she was leaning towards the older one more.

"Almost there," Elena said. "Something's missing." Grasping the side of the table, Elena peered under the booth table to look at Katherine's feet. "Your shoes. I want your shoes."

_War, _Lana thought with a hint of a smile.

* * *

Rebekah licked cake off of her finger. "Mm. You know, it's funny. I've always been…a little _envious _of the legend that is Katherine Pierce. The way you can…wrap a man around your little finger. The way Elijah betrayed Klaus for you." Rebekah bit her nail. Lana watched as Rebekah made fun of the image that is _Katherine Pierce. _"The way the Salvatores stumbled head over heels for you, and yet"—Rebekah continued, not giving Lana a chance to ask what happened—"here we are. All these years later. In a town that you had to _compel _into liking you."

Rebekah laughed and picked at her cake again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh." She brought a piece to her lips. "It's really more sad than funny."

Katherine paused. "You know you can't…split the Cure with Elena, right?" Katherine asked. She looked over at Lana. "And sorry, there's no threesome here, either."

"Elena doesn't want the Cure," Rebekah ignored Katherine's add-on.

"Oh no?" Katherine asked, raising her eyebrows. "But _you _do? You want to take it?" It was hard for her to comprehend. She looked over at Lana. "And _you_. I _still _can't figure out a reason you're here besides the fact that you want the Cure." She paused. "I saw you on the island you know? With Damon? I just didn't want to say anything in front of Elena…" Katherine trailed off. "Even with her humanity off, she'll still be able to feel."

"I don't want the Cure," Lana answered, picking at her own piece of cake and taking a sip of her coffee. "I don't mind being a vampire."

"And how long have you been undead?" Katherine questioned. "Thirty days?" She laughed. "Yeah. And after a century of morbid hate, boredom, loss, and grief, I'm sure you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't grab the Cure when you had the chance."

"I have no one I want to take the Cure for." Lana shrugged. "I have no one I can watch die."

"Then why do you want to live?" Katherine asked, leaning over the table lightly. "Why not just drive a stake through your heart _right _now? Or is it the highlights seeping through that familiar little head of yours?" Katherine paused to look. "There's something about you, little vampire…I don't know what, but there's _something _there…"

Katherine reached for some of the cake as Lana's eyes flickered to Rebekah. Rebekah took that as her cue again. She twisted Katherine's hand and Katherine cried out in pain.

"Ladies," a familiar voice greeted. "Playing nice?"

Damon slid into the booth, right up to Lana's hip. She shifted slightly as Stefan pulled up a chair at the front of the table.

Katherine sighed. "There goes the neighborhood."

"I see you got Katherine already," he said to Lana and Rebekah. His eyes reverted to Katherine. "You're losing your touch, evil one." He smiled.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan asked, getting straight to the point.

"Hello to you, too, Stefan," Lana mumbled.

"You and I need to talk," Damon told her angrily.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were my father." Lana crossed her arms and contemplated just getting out of the booth, but Damon had her trapped.

"Where is Elena?" Stefan repeated towards Rebekah.

"So let me get this straight," Rebekah sighed. "I tell you where Elena is, you shove the Cure down her throat, and then I end up in a box, right?" Rebekah questioned. "I don't think so."

Stefan looked at Lana who huffed. "Really? Don't ask me. You ask me and I'll get Rebekah to rip your throat out. I'm tired of your obsession with Elena and I want it to end. The only way for it to end is if she doesn't take the Cure, which is what you plan to do."

"Tell me," Stefan urged. "I want you to tell me."

"Too. Fucking. Bad," Lana spat.

Stefan sighed and Damon looked at his girlfriend, annoyed. Eventually, he looked at Katherine, who was smiling and ducking her head.

"What about you, smiley?" Damon proposed. "Do you know where she is?"

"I can give you a hint," Katherine said after a while. Rebekah's head snapped to view Katherine. She leaned over the table.

"Start by looking at the town morgue," Katherine said. "She's probably dead."

Everyone gave her looks across the table. Katherine sighed. "She's meeting with a friend of mine," Katherine snapped. "You may know him." She smiled. "An Original brother. Impeccable taste."

"Elijah?" Rebekah gasped.

Katherine smiled.

"Elijah's here?" Damon asked her.

"Who's Elijah?" Lana sighed.

"You may have to question Elijah's _impeccable taste_," Stefan said, "if he's friends with _you_." He gave Katherine a loose smile.

"Oh, when I mean _friend_," Katherine replied. "I mean _friend_."

Everyone around the table, except for Lana, made some kind of gagging sound.

Katherine continued. "It probably took him about _ten _seconds for him to realize that she wasn't me," Katherine explained and crossed her arms. "At which point he probably yanked her heart right out of her chest."

"All right. Where are they?" Stefan asked, trying to get over the fact that Elijah and Katherine were…together.

"Rebekah," Stefan began. "You do realize that if something should happen to Elena, you have _no _chance of finding the Cure, right?" Katherine eyed Rebekah, maybe silently hoping she wouldn't say.

"Fine," Rebekah gave in. "They were supposed to meet at the gazebo by the park."

"Rebekah!" Lana grunted.

Stefan moved out of the booth. "I'll to talk to Elijah." He paused. "Lana, you're coming with?"

"How about no?" she said, her arms crossed.

"Great, I'm taking that as a yes." Stefan smiled. "Come on. At least you won't be with Damon."

Damon might've let that little statement go if it didn't work, but when it did, he grimaced.

"Okay," Lana agreed quickly.

"You deal with Elijah. Katherine will take us to the Cure," Rebekah planned.  
"No, she won't," Katherine objected. "The Cure is my one chance to win my freedom back from Klaus."

"You're going to broker a deal with Klaus?" Damon asked, almost laughing.

"No, she's going to get Elijah to broker the deal for her," Stefan answered. Katherine didn't say anything. "That's why you need your little friend, isn't it?" Again, Katherine stayed silent. "Some things _never _change, Katherine."

"Nope," Damon agreed.

Katherine groaned. "Fine." She shooed Rebekah out. "Move. You have to follow me."

As Katherine and Rebekah got up to leave, Stefan put the chair back and Damon slid out of the booth. He held out a hand to help her up, but she did not take it. Instead, she helped herself up, not taking Damon's hand and not taking Stefan's hand, who had joined Damon shortly after.

Stefan looked back and forth between Damon and Lana. "Meet me outside. You only have a two minutes. I'm going to hold Katherine and Rebekah off as long as I can."

Stefan left the diner, leaving Damon and Lana alone.

"What's wrong?" Damon asked her, grimacing. "You betrayed me back in New York."

"So?" she asked. "You betray me all the time. The one time I do it I almost get bitch-slapped, like that one time?"

Damon inhaled. "I thought you didn't remember it yet."

"It's been _thirty _days!" she whispered angrily. "Of _course _I would remember it! All the pieces really just came together a couple days ago, but I decided it didn't matter. Then you leave me at that party for _who_?"  
"I thought you were over that!" he hissed.

She frowned. "Some things never change, Damon." Lana sighed outwardly. "Just give me a couple hours."

"You've had a fucking _day_!" he screamed. "You just _left _in New York. Did it ever occur to you that if you just talked to me instead of running away like that, we wouldn't be in this mess?"

"What part of me needing time from you escapes your egotistical brain?" she yelled. "Oh, that's right. Nothing but 'I'm beautiful and all the girls love me' goes through your head, right?" She gritted her teeth.

"How can you _say _that?" Damon challenged. "Lana, I love you. No egotistical man would say that."

"Lie," she whispered and looked up at a clock. "Time's up. I'm leaving."

She left too quickly, and frankly, Damon was tired of trying to keep up.

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to do the next chapter tonight, and I ****_might _****just be able to do the first part of Pictures of You. The next chapter may or may not be a little shorter, but we'll see. **

**Please read ****_Kill of the Night. _****That's all :)**

**By the way, I'm thinking of a Datherine story! Yay or Nay? **

**Reviews equal love and love equals more updates!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	29. XXIX

**A/N: Okay, continuing from the last chapter :) I haven't split a chapter up in a long time…oops. Oh, well. **

**This episode was really long…for some reason. I think this was one of my favorite episodes though. Brother bonding. **

**Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, but I own Lana, the writing, and whatever part of the plot is mine.**

* * *

**_XXIX_**

"What happened in New York, Lana?" Stefan asked on their way to the gazebo by the park. Lana walked, crossing her arms, as if sealing herself away. "What? No talking?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"Did Damon hurt you…?" Stefan trailed off. Lana sighed.

"No, Stefan. Damon didn't hurt me. No one _hurt_ me. I'm just _tired _of this."

Stefan stopped quickly and pulled her to a halt. "Do you want the Cure? Is that what this is about – betraying us? You want the Cure?"

She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. "You _really _believe I want the Cure? Seriously? How many times have I said that I don't want it?"

"Then what are you tired of?" Stefan asked, crossing his arms. "We're not leaving here until you tell me."

"I'm not talking about this." She turned to walk away, but Stefan pulled her back again.

"Yes we are."

"Let me go!" she struggled against his grasp.

"No," he answered. "What are you tired of? The way we fight for Elena? After Elena's human, I'm gone. I don't know about Damon, but I'm gone."

"Maybe that's what it was about before but…" Lana trailed off and began to try and remove Stefan's fingers. "Stefan, let _go _of me."

"What are you tired of?"

"Stefan!"

"If you can't tell me, I'm going to get Damon and switch places with him so you can enjoy this conversation with _him_," Stefan threatened.

"Let go."

"No."

"I don't want to be with you two anymore!" she screamed out, fighting against his enclosed fingers. "I don't want to be like Elena and Katherine. I don't want to be…I don't want to be fighting forever. I don't…" Lana failed, her throat catching. Stefan stared at her, confused. "Please let me go."

Stefan removed his fingers from her arm. "What are you saying? You want to leave?"

He could detect the tiniest nod. "I can't be fighting over you and Damon forever."

"Me?" Stefan asked, confused. "Elena's not in love with me anymore. And Damon's in love with you. Elena will go on after she's human alone. There will be no fighting."

"And if she's not human?" Lana proposed. "If someone else ends up taking the Cure? If Elena decides that she wants Damon, or even you? I can't fight with her forever, and I don't want to. I can't take another day of it."

"Lana, nothing's going to happen," Stefan convinced her. "Damon's in love with you. I promise this. I can't tell if he'll leave you for her, but I'm always here. There will be no fighting. We're not the ones who have to choose." When she didn't say anything, Stefan tilted her chin up. "You hear me, Lana? Don't leave us. We're all going to be fine."

Having nothing more to say, she nodded lightly, but this conversation was far from over. Stefan looked at her.

"Promise me," he told her. "Promise me you won't leave Damon. Or me." When she didn't say anything, he urged her more. "Promise," he ordered.

"I promise," she said. "Now let's find Elena."

Stefan nodded lightly before they moved on, and behind her, Lana uncrossed her fingers that were hidden.

* * *

"No sudden moves," Damon warned as they entered Katherine's lair. "No tricks, either. "No Katherine-ing."

He looked around the place, nearly disgusted at what he saw. "Wow. A quilt and a fish aquarium? Who the hell are you?"

"A very old lady with dreadful taste," Rebekah answered. Katherine continued to do what she had to do to reach the Cure, which was apparently inside of a safe. Moments passed as Katherine reached into the safe to get the Cure.

"It's gone!" she exclaimed. Rebekah made a look of disgust and Damon all but rolled his eyes. "The Cure. It was in the safe…but it's not there."

Damon made a buzzing sound. "Not falling for it. Where is it, Auntie Katherine?"

"I swear it was in the safe!"

Rebekah intervened. "What? Just like Elijah is really your boyfriend and this is really your life?" She looked around. "And for all we know, this isn't really your house."

"Eh, it doesn't look like the Katherine I know," Damon agreed.

"Maybe you don't know Katherine at all," Katherine proposed. "Did it ever occur to you that you have no idea who I am?"

Damon scoffed. "Did it ever occur to you that you're not that deep?" he questioned. "This whole small town girl thing – we all know it's an act."

"Where is the cure?" Rebekah snapped, getting to the point. When Katherine didn't answer, she flashed to her, ready to pounce.

"Whoa, whoa." Damon stopped the Original. "Hang on. We need her alive." Katherine smiled her golden smile. "The Cure's not here." Rebekah didn't move. "You check upstairs, I'll check down," Damon offered. "I got this."

Rebekah walked upstairs.

"So if I was a paranoid, distrustful sociopath, where would I keep my most prized possession?"

Katherine chuckled. "This should be fun."

"Because I'd want it to be close, but not on me." He looked around. "Accessible but not obvious. I'd want to keep it safe, but not so safe that it'd be too difficult to grab and run." He looked at the fish tank. "Well, that is a fancy little treasure chest. In a tank with no fish." He looked back at Katherine. "I think I'm going to have to check that out."

Damon reached inside, only to find his hand being burnt. He pulled his hand out immediately, groaning in pain. "Gah! Vervain water!" he screamed, but smiled. "Looks like we have ourselves a winner." He grabbed a fish net and began to ever so slightly move into the fish tank.

Katherine flashed over to him in an instant and moved his head so that it was planted in the vervain water. Damon gargled and cried until she finally pulled him out of it and tossed him onto the floor. He cried again from his burnt face. Katherine grabbed the treasure chest and flashed to the door, but not fast enough.

Rebekah blocked her way. "Give it to me or you're dead," Rebekah threatened.

Katherine breathed, "You're going to kill me anyway. So what's more important to you, huh? Killing me or getting the Cure?" As Rebekah dove after the Cure that had been tossed into the air, Katherine made a run for it.

Rebekah caught the Cure.

"Look, Rebekah. Don't even think about it," Damon breathed, but his threat was outdated considering his state of physical ability.

She held it in her hand, amazed at its power.

Damon gasped. "Let's just talk about this," he reasoned, water dripping from his hair. "Like the two rational vampires that we are." When she didn't answer, he called her name. "Rebekah?"

"Oh, give it a rest," she demanded. "Me taking this Cure is the best thing that'll ever happen to you."  
"Don't do anything stupid."

"Admit it!" She said, almost smiling. "You don't want human Elena running back to Stefan whilst you're left out in the cold, again." He said nothing. "Go on, Damon. Tell me why you want Elena to have the Cure."

He should've said something. Something about who he supposedly really loved. But nothing came out of his mouth, and maybe some part of him realized that he still wanted Elena to be a vampire because he still loved her.

Rebekah opened the lid as Stefan and Lana appeared at the door.

"No!" Stefan shouted.

But it was too late. Rebekah had swallowed the Cure and passed out on the couch, ready to become human.

* * *

As Damon dried himself off with a towel that Lana had given him, Stefan was not a happy camper. He looked at Rebekah with disgust. She had taken the one chance for him to have Elena back.

"Did you even try to stop her?" Stefan accused.

Somehow, it was always Damon's fault right? That's how Damon felt. "You forgot the part where I was bobbing for boxes in vervain water."

"All you had to do was stall her, Damon."

"Sorry, it's _Rebekah_. I didn't have a pony to stop her, Stefan!"

"She asked you a question," Lana said to Damon. "All you had to do was answer it and keep her going for at least another few seconds."

He tried to come up with a response, a heartfelt apology, maybe, but all of the words that came out of his mouth was: "So you're talking to me again or are you just jealous and want an answer for yourself? "

"Damon!" Stefan snapped. "Knock it off."  
"Look at you!" Lana growled. "At least I'm not a complete _asshole _who is still in love with Elena when all I have to say is _SIRE BOND!" _she screamed.

"Says the girl with a bond to my brother."

"I thought we were past this!"  
"Yeah, and I thought you didn't like me using sex against you, but I guess it was just that you missed doing it yourself."

"Shut up!" Stefan snapped. "Just _shut up_ for two minutes. We have bigger problems because we're about to have a mortal Rebekah on one hand and still have an emotionless Elena on our other."

Right after he finished the sentence, Rebekah inhaled deeply, waking up. Once she sat up, everyone stopped talking.

"How do you feel?" Stefan asked.

"I-I feel good," Rebekah answered. "I…I feel great. I feel alive."

"Slight problem with being alive," Damon mumbled and picked up something – anything – sharp. "I can kill you now." He threw it at Rebekah's head, but she caught it in an instant with cat-like reflexes. Sharp.

Rebekah looked at her hand, which was scratched and oozing with blood. But then, the cut faded, and her hand was perfect again. She was immortal.  
Rebekah took a long leap into misery.

Stefan took a long breath of relief.

"I'm still a vampire," Rebekah breathed. "The Cure didn't work."

Stefan then realized. "It worked just like she wanted it to," Stefan understood. "The Cure was a fake. Must've been a concentrated shot of vervain or something," he told Rebekah. She looked as if she'd been stabbed in the heart.

"Katherine," Damon whispered.

* * *

It was over. The Cure was gone. Damon, Stefan, and Lana walked to the diner to sit and mourn for a moment.

At least it was still out there. They could still find it.

As Lana walked into the diner, Damon pulled Stefan aside.

"All right, you're right." Damon broke the silence between them. "I let Rebekah take the Cure. Because I thought, for a second – I mean, literally just a second – that if Rebekah takes this, then all my problems go away. And I couldn't think of one reason to give it to Elena."

Stefan gave Damon a look and Damon sighed but continued. "And then Rebekah took it and I realized how badly I screwed up."

"So what's your point, Damon?" Stefan asked quickly.

"My point is, I'm sorry, okay?" Damon said at last. "I had a moment of weakness, Stefan. It's my thing. It's like you and I falling for the same girl. It's _our _thing." Irony was so bad in that comment it wasn't even funny.

"Was our thing," Stefan corrected. Damon shrugged. "Look, we've been making the same mistakes for a hundred and fifty years. We can judge Katherine all we want, but we keep repeating our history just like she is. First Katherine, then Elena, and then Lana."  
"Lana is _mine,_" Damon countered. "You don't love her. It's a sire bond."  
"Like there's a _difference _any more, Damon!" Stefan argued. "Nothing ever changes. It has to _stop, _Damon."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm done. I can't keep reliving my life like this. I owe Elena her shot at being normal again. Once we give her the Cure, I'm getting her out of my life and I'm getting a life of my own." He paused. "Do you know what your girlfriend said to me earlier today?"

"What did she say to _you_, Stefan?" Damon asked, venom in his voice.

"She wants to leave," Stefan answered. "She wants to get out. She doesn't want to live Katherine's life or Elena's life. These are _her _words. She doesn't want to fight for however many years. She wants to move on." Stefan paused. "I wanted to make her stay, for you. I could live without her. I made her promise, but it's not a blood contract." He paused again when Damon said nothing. "And if she wants to leave, I'm letting her. She deserves a life, too. Along with Elena."

"Okay," Damon answered quietly. "Okay. Let's just get the Cure and then we'll talk about you riding off into the sunset all by your lonesome."

"You still want to get the Cure?" Stefan asked after a moment. "Even if you might lose her."

Damon groaned and hesitated. "It's a chance I'm willing to take, Stefan," he said. "Besides…I don't even know if I want to be with Elena anymore, I'm just…" he trailed off. "Confused."

"Because you've fallen in love with someone else?" Stefan laughed lightly. "What happened to the Damon who loved Elena and only Elena. No one else?"

He looked inside the diner where Lana and Elena were side-by-side, talking but not too friendly. Probably whining over how ridiculously protective Damon and Stefan are.

"People change," Damon answered carefully, but Stefan didn't know who he was looking at. Who was the person Damon _really _loved?

"Well," Stefan said. "I guess all we have to do now is convince Elena to take the Cure." He walked past Damon, who was still in a small thought. Eventually, Damon walked into the diner behind Stefan.

Lana and Elena immediately went quiet when Stefan and Damon walked in.

"Sit anywhere you'd like," the kind human told them. Damon and Stefan said nothing and walked up to their two problems, where they sat, unmoving. Damon went in the round booth first.

"You all right?" Stefan asked Elena. Lana shifted slightly from Damon's proximity.

"What's up with the silent treatment?" Damon asked. "You're the one who texted us and wanted to meet up." He was obviously talking to Elena. "And I'm sure you didn't just want to meet with Lana."

"You know that I don't want the Cure," Elena said. Stefan shifted. "You need to know that I never will and I'm done talking about it, so…" She trailed off. "You accept it and let me be who I am or not."

_Like that's going to happen, _Damon thought. "Yeah…n….no."

"Elena this isn't you," Stefan reasoned.

Elena didn't even break a sweat. Lana was quiet. "It is now and you two really need to accept it," she told them. "Because if you don't, there will be consequences."

A moment passed until Stefan spoke. "Listen," he said. "I was in the exact same situation you're in right now. My emotions were off – I wasn't me. And _you _refuse to accept that. You didn't give up on me. You didn't stop until you pulled me back."

Elena slid her mug to the side of the table and the coffee woman, the one who greeted Damon and Stefan at the door, came rushing up to her.

"Let me just top that off for you."

Elena smiled. "Thanks."

And it all seemed normal until Elena whipped up and snapped the woman's neck right in the middle of the deserted restaurant. The woman's body fell straight to the floor.

Damon and Stefan shot back in their seats just as the coffee pot hit the ground. Lana sat, unmoving.

"Oh!" Damon shouted.

"Like I said, consequences. That's one body you're responsible for. If you keep trying to fix me, there'll be a second, a twentieth, and a hundredth." Stefan and Damon were silent. Elena tilted her head and smiled lightly. "It's your choice."

She turned and walked out of the diner without another word.

"You still ready to ride off into the sunset?" Damon asked Stefan quietly.

* * *

When Elena was gone, Lana got out of the booth and stood over the dead body, making sure not to step on it. It repulsed her, but Elena did what she had to do.

"I've made a decision," Lana told them carefully. She looked at Stefan. "One you won't like."

"Here we go," Damon sighed. "Why are you trying to change things, Lana? We're fine. We're good. It was just a little fight."

"Damon—" Stefan started.

"No," Lana said. "In order for him to realize why I'm leaving I'm telling him myself."

Damon flashed up from his seat.

"You're not leaving," he told her. "No. You can't leave. You can't leave."

She backed up. "I'm leaving," Lana said again. "And I'm sorry." She looked at Stefan. "I am. I know you think that I can handle being Damon's girlfriend and dealing with all of this." She looked at Damon. "I can't get over it, Damon. I can't get over what you've done to me."  
"That's no reason to leave!" he shouted. "Please. Just stay. I'll make it up to you. Don't go." He was on the point of begging now.

"It's not just about what you did to me, Damon!" she said.

"What's it about, then?" Damon asked frantically. _Don't leave. _

She didn't answer. "It's about the whole love triangle thing, isn't it?" Damon asked. She didn't answer again. "Please, don't leave because of that. We can fix it. I can stop loving you if that's what you want. You want to be with Stefan, be with Stefan."

"I don't want to ruin you two!" she said angrily and looked at Stefan, who was sitting quietly in his booth. "I don't want to come between your relationship like Elena and Katherine. I heard what you said outside and I know what _you _told me." Lana inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "I can't get in the way of your brotherhood. I'm not worth it."

"Lana…" Stefan said.

"We're fine, Lana!" Damon assured.

"Stop," she snapped to Damon. "Stop, Damon. I'm serious about this." Lana's eyes flickered to Damon and Stefan. "My things will be gone by the time you get home, because I'm sure Elena's going to want to stop and get something to eat." Damon grabbed her hands.

"Don't go," he pleaded. "I'll get down on my knees and say it. Please don't go."

"Goodbye," she said, ignoring him. Lana looked at Stefan, who nodded solemnly.

Without another word, she turned and left, Damon fuming. He glanced at Stefan, but said nothing.

* * *

_One day later…_

It was bright and sunny in the morning. It was a Friday, and she wouldn't have classes.

Lana had just finished moving her things back into the dorm room all while her dorm mate was away at her one class this morning. It had hurt to be in Damon's room, but it was for the best. Damon and her weren't meant to be. Ruining the Salvatore relationship wasn't worth it.

She had told herself this over and over again – why hadn't she believed it yet?

When the door unlocked, Lana turned around and inhaled sharply, thinking multiple ways of how this could go. Compulsion? Talking? Yelling?

Hannah entered the apartment, a smile spread across her face. "Bye!" she yelled, tilting her head back as she said it. Lana slipped her hands into her back pockets as Hannah's eyes moved over to hers. It took her a minute, but Hannah had realized who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Hannah said through her teeth.

"I…" Lana trailed off. "I'm done with Damon. You were right." Her heart blackened.

"What happened?" Hannah asked carefully, entering the room.

"I just…" Lana trailed off. "It's hard to explain and I don't really want to talk about it." Hannah wasn't exactly pleased with the answer. "I realized that I didn't want to get in the way of everything he's got going on."

"Were you…living with him?" she asked, confused.

"Yes," Lana breathed. "What a mistake," she mumbled, mostly for Hannah's benefit. Hannah muffled a laugh and Lana smiled. But Hannah soon frowned.

"I'm still mad," she said angrily.

Lana nodded. "I know."

"But," Hannah admitted. "If you want to stay here, I won't stop you. I think they might let you back into your classes, but it's a long shot. You were gone for a while."

"Yeah," Lana agreed. "A very long while."

"But now you're back," Hannah said, as if searching for an answer. "For good? Back for good?"

Lana nodded once more. "Yes," she answered. "I'm back. For good."

* * *

**A/N: Sigh. Tired…but not really at the same time. You feel me? **

**Anyways, I'm going to try and update something else, but I don't know what. Oh, well. But I might update this again. I just had to get that episode out of the way. So next up, ****_Pictures of You, She's Come Undone, The Walking Dead, _****and finally, ****_Graduation. _****Then we're done with this story. **

**I'm thinking for the last chapter, I'm going to do something fun. I have some songs that I thought fit this story well…so I'll make a playlist or something and put the title and artists on the last A/N, which will be the final chapter. **

**And then we get to the good stuff, because I have a ROLLERCOASTER for you. Seriously. Like, this is going to be my best cliffhanger yet. **

**So stay tuned :)**

**Reviews equal love and love equals more updates!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	30. XXX

**A/N: Starting ****_Pictures of You. _****It's going to be a little short because I don't want to write all of the parts, only because they don't pertain to this story, which mainly focuses on Damon and Lana. **

**I know a lot of you are anxious to see Stefan and Lana together, and hold your horses. A lot of things are going to go down before we can see Stefan, Lana, or even Damon happy. **

**You know…except for when he's FREAKING WITH ELENA FUCKING GILBERT. Ugh. I'm so mad about that. **

**And it will show in the season finale chapter I write. Two more episodes until the season finale. I think I'm going to split that episode into two, though, so I milk it a bit :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD but I do own Hannah, Lana, the plot (what I create), and my writing.**

* * *

**_XXX_**

"So what has it been? Eight…Nine days?" Damon tossed the football to Stefan and his brother caught it with ease.

"Yeah, about eight or nine days," Stefan agreed. "I don't know, I lost count."

Damon caught the ball. "We lost count of the consecutive days in which Elena Gilbert has not killed anyone," Damon pointed out. "I'd say that's progress, brother." He threw the football to the other side of the room.

"So what are we doing to do, just, uh, throw the football around for another next hundred and fifty years until Elena turns her humanity back on?" Stefan threw the football back. "Because I'm cool with that."  
Damon caught the football in his hand and stalled for a moment. "She doesn't want the Cure. She's going to start killing people if she knows we're still trying to get it for her." Damon threw the ball hard to Stefan, but his brother still caught it.

"All right," Stefan agreed. "We can always…uh…make her want it." He threw the ball.

"Yeah. How are you going to make an _emotionless _vampire want anything?"

Stefan shrugged as the ball landed in his hand. "Get her to flip her humanity switch."

"So what are we going to do?" Damon proposed. "Pull a Lexi? Bombard her with her emotions until one of them sticks?"

"Yeah," Stefan agreed. "And if that doesn't work, we go to Plan B," he started. "Lock her up and keep her sidelined until you and I figure out a Plan C," Stefan reasoned.

"And what happens when she gets slammed with every emotion she's repressed since Jeremy died?" Damon challenged.

"Then you, my friend, will be right by her side, ready to help her through it." Stefan smiled.

"Because you don't want to keep reliving history." The ball stayed by Stefan's side and did not fly anywhere. "And when this is all over, you're just going to get out of her life." Damon felt like he was reliving the past right now. First _her, _then his brother.

For the last week, Damon tried not to think about Lana Mercer – sometimes he tried so hard, his brain would hurt. He would push the thought out of his mind but it would keep running back to him. What had he done wrong? How could she think that she was ruining his relationship with his brother? It didn't make sense.

Until he finally realized. It wasn't because of his brother-bonding relationship – it was because she had that little shred of uncertainty that Damon still loved Elena.

She'd be right, but that was no reason to walk out on him like that.

"If she can do it, so can I," Stefan mumbled.

"No," Damon snapped. Stefan looked up, confused. "Don't bring her up into this conversation. I'm not talking about it."

"Damon, we have to talk about this!" Stefan argued. "You've been drinking like a madman for eight or nine days. All you talk about is Elena and nothing else. She wanted to help our relationship, not ruin it."

"Stefan, I'm not talking about this," Damon said, his voice ice-cold. "She left. I'm over it. We're done talking about it." What a huge lie. "Besides, I drink all the time. There's nothing wrong with a little bourbon here and there."

"Damon, you finished three bottles in two days."

"And that's a crime?" he countered. "What's so bad if I have a little drink? Excuse me for not being Mr. Happy at the moment."

Stefan smiled. "Bingo."

Damon grimaced at his brother, but moved on from the subject. He couldn't talk about it anymore. "So, brother," he started. "How do you want to do this?"

* * *

It came as a surprise to her, how easy it was to try and forget about the life she had in Mystic Falls and to fit herself back into her life at Whitmore. She had compelled the staff to let her back in without a single demerit, and it was easy to get back in touch with her classes. She didn't talk about the Salvatore brothers and no one asked her. If they tried, she moved on without another glance.

Sometimes, Lana would wonder what was happening back in Mystic Falls, and maybe she wanted to take a drive to the Boarding House and see how things were going. Mostly, though, what kept her from jumping into her car and doing that was the thought of what was going on. Did Elena get her humanity back? Did she choose Damon or Stefan?

When those questions popped up in her mind, she did everything to make sure they went away. It was dangerous for her to think about these things, because of her heightened emotions.

What sucked about the whole situation was that Stefan hadn't revoked his request for her to not feed on human blood. His request was so strong that time, it stuck, and she still couldn't fed by the vein. When she was hungry, she had to recede to the forest for food. She could've called Stefan to ask him if she could feed by the vein again, but Stefan would find some way to turn it around and end up talking about Damon.

She couldn't handle that.

It was nighttime, and while Lana sat on the bed, reading a book for one of her papers that she had due in a week, Hannah came out of the bathroom in a dress, a _fancy _dress.

Lana smiled. "What are you all dressed up for? Is it prom night or something?" She snickered.

Hannah laughed. "Actually, yes," she told Lana. "I have to chaperone. My mother signed me up because she wanted to make sure my brother didn't try any moves with his prom date." Hannah sighed. "But, if you want, you can go. I'm sure they'll let you in. Why not, right? You still have that two-thousand dollar dress you wore to the Miss Mystic pageant…" Hannah trailed off, as if afraid she had crossed a line by talking about it.

The memory floated back to the vampire, whose heart suddenly pained. "I'm good," Lana answered quickly. "Besides, I think…you know. It's in Mystic Falls and…"

"Oh," Hannah said, realizing. "You think…_he's _going to be there? But he's like twenty-four, Lana. Why would he be at a high school prom?"

"He has friends in high school," Lana answered cautiously. "His brother's in high school. A senior. So no doubt he'll probably be going to the Prom tonight." Lana exhaled loudly. "And I really need to finish this paper. I have ten others I haven't even started on."

Hannah bit her lip, as if debating quietly. "Fine," she said eventually. "Suit yourself. You want me to bring back something to eat?"

"Sure," Lana accepted. "Chinese or something would work." And while Hannah was gone, she could feed and possibly sulk.

Why was she doing this to herself? She was the one who had pulled the plug and left. She really should be out partying with the frat boys, drinking blood, relishing in the vampire life. But honestly, all she wanted to do was stay home. It might've been easy during the daytime, but it wasn't so easy at night.

It was only two hours after Hannah had left the dorm that Lana realized she had left her purse on the desk in the corner. Whether it was by accident or on purpose, it didn't matter.

When the phone rang, she knew exactly who it was.

"Lana!" Hannah gasped over the phone. "Oh, thank God! I left my purse back at the dorm and I really need it." She paused. "Do you think you could come over here and bring it to me?" Hannah asked hopefully. Lana could easily see through the vast rainbow of deception. Hannah had left her purse on purpose.

"You're killing me," Lana groaned. "But _fine. _I'm dropping the purse off and I'm leaving. There's no making me stay. Got it?"

Hannah's smile almost showed through the phone. "Thank you."

"Whatever." Lana pressed the end button on her phone and stared at the purse. Damn her best friend.

She grabbed it and walked out.

* * *

"_You _are underage." Damon grabbed the flask from Elena's hand and pulled it to his lips, drinking it instead.

"You're overage," Elena countered. "And honestly, it's kind of creepy."

"Oh, come on. What bad-ass senior is complete without a prom date that's _slightly _too old to be in high school?" Damon proposed.

"Please don't refer to yourself as my date," Elena told him, grabbing the flask out of his hand.

_It's all to get her humanity back on,_ Damon thought, but he was really thinking. _That's not what you would've said if I didn't turn your humanity off and we were still together. _"Oh, I'm sorry," he quipped. "Your _boyfriend_." The words tasted sour, and they might've been. It seemed wrong.

Elena nearly choked on her flask. "Something I said?" Damon asked innocently, though he was far from ever being innocent.

Elena laughed. "I'm not doing this." She turned to walk away.

"You're not going to deny I'm your boyfriend, are you?" His heart blackened as he spread a sour smile.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked suspiciously. "Trying to stir some _feelings _in me? Ironic, since you, my sire, are the one who had me turn them off."

"Yeah, well, hindsight is almost a bigger bitch than you," Damon admitted.

"You're nothing to me, Damon," Elena told him blandly. _Ouch. _

"Really?" Damon challenged. "Then why tell me you're in love with me? Why tell me it's the most real thing you've ever felt in your life?"

"I told you I loved you because I was sired to you," Elena explained, her voice monotone. "Just like your ex-girlfriend had tried to tell me. Shame I didn't listen to her." Elena tilted her head. "And now that I'm not sired, I know that none of it was real. But, if you still think that it was"—Elena paused to inhale—"maybe you're the one who needs help with your emotions." She turned and walked away. "Not me."

_Double ouch. _

* * *

As Damon stared at the pictures of Stefan and Elena, he couldn't help but feel anything but jealousy. Quickly, he shoved the flask up to his mouth and drowned his sorrows in the alcohol inside of it.

"Damon?"

Damon froze, tensed. It can't be possible. No. It's his imagination.

The voice came from behind him, so he didn't even know if it was her who spoke to him. But he would know that voice anywhere. He swallowed hard and turned around, his eyes wide.

Lana stood in front of him, wearing the dress she had once worn to the Miss Mystic pageant. The dress he had told her to buy. The dress he had hurt her in, over and over and over again. The dress she was most likely wearing when she saw Elena and him having sex in his bedroom.

But the dress was still the same – beautiful. As was the girl wearing it. She smiled weakly and tucked her curled hair behind her ear – she had gotten her highlights turned back to her original color. No matter how good it looked, she looked the best as her regular self.

Well, her vampire regular self.

Damon cleared his throat and tried not to let his voice shake. "W-What are you doing here?" he asked, taking another sip from the flask. _Nine days. Nine days. _

She held up a purse, shaking it in her hand. "Hannah…practically on purpose, left her purse at the dorm, and she asked me to bring it to her." She looked down at her dress. "I really didn't want to go to a prom in sweatpants, so…"

Damon nodded and cleared his throat, trying to minimize the pain he felt pounding in his head. "So…" he started. "How've you been."

"Good," she told him. "Better," Lana whispered. "You?"

"Fine," Damon said at last. A moment of silence passed.

"Damon, look…"

"You don't have to say anything," Damon cut her off, not wanting to hear the apology speech. "I know the real reason you left. And you're right. I still love Elena and I always will." He paused. "But I love you, too. I just had to help her. Especially now."

She hesitated. "Thank you for being honest," Lana told him.

"Yeah, well—"

"But that has nothing to do with what I wanted to say."

Damon looked up, alarmed. "What is it?" he asked.

She stepped closer, and Damon felt his heart jump. "Damon, I'm so sorry I left," Lana apologized. "And I want to come back. I'm tired of staying away from you." She paused to chuckle. "Nine days and I can't stay away. At least I tried."

Damon's heart soared. Suddenly, Elena didn't matter. Well, she did, but it was only miniscule. Right now, it was his moment.

He stepped forward and cupped Lana's face in his hands. "I love you."

"Me, too," she whispered. He leaned forward to kiss her, but right before his lips touched hers, he felt a shocking pain in his stomach.  
Damon fell to his knees, clutching the weapon in his stomach. "Silas…" he trailed off.

"It was really too easy," Silas Lana chuckled before him, her smile wide. "You may love Elena, but this girl's in your head. And because she left you, she's in there more know."

"Where is she, you psychic freak?" Damon groaned.

"She's not here," Silas Lana said, bending down to Damon. "I just figured that tricking you and your brother with this girl is more fun. You guys really do repeat history, don't you?"

"Where's my brother?" Damon demanded.

"He's in the woods," Silas Lana explained. "Where I convinced him that Lana loved him more than you and she wanted to be with him instead, and _that's _why she left." Silas paused. "He's probably in a bit of pain, just like you."

Silas smiled and looked at Damon. "The witch is mine. Stay away from her."

And just like that, Lana was gone, and all Damon could feel was the riveting pain in the midst of his stomach.

* * *

After Bonnie left, Hannah Davis emerged from inside, eyes wide and very angry. Earlier, she was compelled by Elena to make Rebekah prom queen, but the compulsion did not go through. Lana had been slipping vervain into her drinks and meals every day since she returned.

"What the _hell _is going on here?" Hannah demanded.

Elena whipped around, angry as hell. "Remember when I told you to make Rebekah prom queen?" Elena challenged.

"Elena, no!" Matt screamed as Elena brought her hand behind Hannah's neck and banged her forehead on the table in front of her. Hannah squealed, but didn't have much time after that when Elena put her fangs deep into her neck and drank, draining her almost completely.

Matt caught Hannah in his arms as she fell limp. "You should've listened," Elena told her, blood dripping down her mouth.

"Hannah? Hannah, come on!" It was Brenton's – one of Matt's friends – sister. She couldn't die. He would be heartbroken.

Matt checked her heart to see if it was still beating. It was near dead. "Hannah…come _on. _Wake up! Why won't you wake up?"

At that point, Rebekah walked out. "Matt, why did you call—" When she saw the bleeding human, she realized. "Oh my God," she whispered.

"Thank God," Matt said, panting. "Can you feed her your blood?"

Rebekah looked around. She was trying to be a human for a day. "W…Can't we just call nine-one-one or something?" she offered.

"She's dying," Matt urged. "Please help her."

"I can't," Rebekah answered. Matt looked at her like she was insane. "If I give her my vampire blood, Elijah won't give me the Cure and I won't get to be human."

"How is this even a choice right now?" Matt shouted. "You want to be human? Prove it. Be good. Do the right thing and save her life. She's one of my friend's sister. They already lost their dad a couple months ago," Matt explained.

Rebekah stared, conflicted.

* * *

From inside the woods, there was a grunting sound. Damon looked around. "Stefan?" he asked into the empty night air.

"Yeah, I'm over here," Stefan answered back. He was pinned against a tree, writhing in pain.

"Let me guess," Damon said after he walked up to Stefan as Stefan pulled out a weapon in _his _stomach. "A beautiful girl claiming to be my ex-girlfriend came up to you, pretending to be me."

Stefan nodded. "Yeah."

"Yeah," Damon echoed.

As soon as Damon looked up, his heart caught in his throat. But when he realized that it was probably just the same trick, he lunged at the figure and pinned it to a tree, grasping it by her throat.

"Isn't one time enough, Silas?" Damon challenged. Lana made a choking noise.

"Damon…You're hurting me, Damon. Damon…" Lana said, trying to remove Damon's fingers from her neck.

"Oh, drop the _act, _Silas!" Damon roared.

"Damon," Stefan said calmly, flashing to Damon and helping to pry his hands off of Lana's throat. "Damon, it's her. She's not wearing the dress."

Damon looked down at Lana, who was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans with converse. In her hand was a purse. He let go of her and looked at her carefully. "What are you doing here?"

"Hannah forgot her purse," she told him. "I was just dropping it off for her." She coughed. Damon glared suspiciously. "What happened? Why the hell did you try and fucking kill me?" Lana challenged.

"Silas came," Stefan answered. "He was pretending to be you. He tricked us."

She looked between them, confused. "Me?" she asked. "Why would you two even think I would show up? I wasn't even planning on it until Hannah left her stupid purse at the dorm on purpose so I _would _have to come." Lana crossed her arms. "I thought I made myself clear, did I not?"

"You did," Damon snapped. "Believe me. But it's hard when Silas pretends to be you and tells us that you take it all back," he rushed out.

For a moment, Damon stared at Lana, who stared back, confused. Stefan cleared his throat. "I'll give you a moment," he said at last and walked out of the woods.

When Stefan was gone, Lana sighed. "I want to take it all back," Lana admitted. "But it's for the greater good that we all just leave each other alone."

"What a grown-up girl decision," Damon mumbled. "Did it ever occur to you to think about what _I _want?" he roared. "For _once_, will _anyone _think about what I want?"

"What _you _want is Elena," Lana confessed. "And I'm not going to get in the way of that."

"Maybe you're right," Damon said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Maybe I do want to be with Elena. That's what you think, right?" She nodded. "And what if I told you, right now, that all I wanted to do was get in a car with you and leave town – without Elena this time?"

She stayed silent for a moment. "You don't want that, though."

"I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear enough." He coughed. "I want to get in a car with you and leave town, without Elena or my brother. Just us. Anywhere you want. It can even be a plane."

"That's not what I want!" Lana complained. "What I want is—"

From outside of the high school, a pierce, sharp shrill sounded, ringing through both of the vampire's senses.

* * *

"Bonnie, stop!" Stefan commanded. Damon and Lana rushed out of the woods and watched as Bonnie stood above Elena – Elena on her knees, screaming from pain. Damon moved to Bonnie and Elena moved towards him.

"Damon, help me!" she begged.

"Bonnie."

"I know what I'm doing," Bonnie insisted.

"That's the magic talking," Lana warned. "Elena's your best friend, don't hurt her."

"Shut up," Bonnie demanded, and the next thing Lana knew, she was on the ground, her eyes shut and her mind unconscious. Stefan caught her before her head slammed on the earthy ground.

"Bonnie…" he said through his teeth.

"Bonnie!" Damon snapped.

"Bonnie," Elena whispered. "Please…" She screamed again. Moments passed, and while Lana was unconscious in Stefan's arms, Bonnie finally relaxed and stopped her spell on her best friend.

Elena breathed a sigh of relief.

_Relief. _

"You okay?" Stefan asked quietly.

"No, I'm not okay," she whispered. "I almost died, the shell of my best friend almost killed me—_none of this is okay_!" Bonnie screamed. Without another word, she ran off.

Stefan laid Lana down on the ground carefully as Damon held Elena up. Stefan held her backside up while Damon reassured her.

And then Stefan put the vervain into her bloodstream and Elena went limp in Damon's arms.

Stefan bent down and picked Lana up from the ground. Damon eyed him cautiously.

"What?" Stefan asked.

"How about we switch?" Damon proposed angrily.

"Oh, don't get your bourbon in a twist, Damon." Stefan smiled lightly. "She loves you, not me. No need for jealousy."

"Oh yeah?" Damon challenged. "And what about you? You love her?"

Stefan didn't answer. "Let's go," he said at last.

* * *

"I wouldn't underestimate his talents," Damon told his brother as Stefan closed the door on the cage. "Fooled the hell out of both of us," Damon pointed out. "What'd Silas say to you, anyway?" he asked.

Stefan inhaled. "He led me out of the woods, claimed that Lana was in trouble, and then he staked me." Damon shrugged. He was lying. "What'd he say to you?"

"Well she wanted sex." Damon smiled. "Figured it had to be her."

"Where is she, now, anyway?" Stefan asked curiously.

"I put her up in my bedroom," Damon told Stefan. "If you have a problem with it…"

"Nope," Stefan lied. "No problem here." He paused. "Not repeating history, remember?"

Damon nodded cautiously. "Yeah." He paused. "I'll be upstairs if you need me."

"Okay," Stefan agreed as Damon flashed out of the cellar.

Once upstairs, Damon grabbed a towel and wet it with cold water. He walked over to the bed and pressed it to Lana's forehead. She didn't have her highlights anymore – that was real.

A few moments passed before she woke, groggy, weak, and disoriented. "Oh, God. That witch's a _bitch_," Lana moaned. She looked around. "Why am I here?" she asked.

"We had to bring Elena home as soon as possible," Damon explained. "And Bonnie made you fall unconscious. I didn't have enough time to bring you back to Whitmore." Damon paused. "If you want, I'll take you there in the morning. Or now, if you prefer."

Lana paused for a moment. "Hannah…" she trailed off, rubbing her head. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Damon said. "Probably back at the dorms, I guess." He looked at her before continuing, "How are you feeling?"

She eyed him. "I just got mind-slapped by a witch. How do you _think _I feel?" Lana growled. Damon couldn't help but laugh.

"Listen," he said when things grew quiet. "I don't want to stay apart from you anymore, okay?"

"Damon…"

"No," he argued. "I don't want you to give me crap about me loving Elena or you ruining my relationship with Stefan." Damon paused to search her eyes. "I love _you_, and if what makes you happy takes me having to leave Elena and Stefan behind _right _now, I'll do it. If you want." Could she tell he was bluffing? "And if that's not what you want and what you want is Stefan, I'll put my feelings aside and let you be happy. It'll kill me, but I'll do it….somehow," Damon added.

Lana exhaled. "That's not what I want," she admitted at last. _Oh, thank God_. "What I want is _you_," she confessed. "But I don't know how to do it without making everyone unhappy. Stefan, Elena, possibly even you…"

"You'll never make me unhappy," Damon said, taken aback. He reached forward and brushed his thumb across her cheek. "What do you want, Lana?"

"This," she said. 'But I just…"  
"Shh." Damon leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. "Stay with me," he mumbled. "Just tonight."

Lana exhaled largely. What did she want? It was the right thing to leave Damon. She had done it for nine days. She could stay away longer. It was only by accident that they met up again.

But when he kissed her again, this time deeper, she realized what she wanted – and it wasn't taking the hard way out. She wanted him, and no matter how much pain it would cause everyone else, she would stay with him. It might be selfish, but she wanted it, and it was about time that she got something she wanted.

"I want to stay," Lana said, pulling away. "But not just for the night."

"Stay as long as you want," Damon breathed before kissing her again, using his arms to crawl on top of her, where he kissed her until the doorbell rang.

"Damon…."

"Stefan's got it," he mumbled against her skin, and Lana lost track of everything else.

* * *

When Stefan opened the door, a blonde haired human was there, her eyes wide and her skin paled as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Stefan Salvatore?" she blurted.

"Yes," Stefan answered. "You are?"

"I'm Hannah Davis," the girl answered. "Lana's friend."

"She's upstairs…" Stefan trailed off. "But I wouldn't go up there. She's with—"

"A vampire," Hannah blurted aloud. "I know."

* * *

**A/N: So Hannah knows now. By the way, Stefan won't end up with Elena at the end of this story. Now only if you can guess who he will end up with…**

**I might update later tonight. It depends on how things go. We'll see.**

**Coming to a close soon… But then I'll upload the sequel. I'm pretty excited, wbu? **

**Reviews equal love and love equals more updates!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918  
X_**


	31. XXXI

**A/N: So, this chapter is strictly fictional because I'm not doing the Originals episode…mainly because it's a TVD story. But I think I'm going to see how it goes. If what I have planned isn't long enough for just one chapter, I'll move onto ****_She's Come Undone. _****But we'll see. **

**So, I have this friend, ****_NicoleSalvatore1918_****, and she has a few stories that she really needs views on. If you like Vampire Diaries stories (Stefan/OC, Damon/OCs like mine, but mainly focuses on Stefan/OC), she has one called ****_If I Never See Your Face Again_****. And also, if you like _The Host _and _Divergent, _she has two stories: One for _The Host, _called _Cut _and the _Divergent _one is called _This Love_**

**Please read them…you won't regret it! **

**Anyway, onto the story. Enjoy the chapter, guys. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, but I do own what happens in this chapter (maybe), Lana, Hannah, and the writing.**

* * *

**_XXXI_**

Hearing large, angry footsteps stomp up the stairs and towards Damon's room, Lana shoved Damon off of her – against her better judgment – and quietly said, "Someone's coming."

Damon sighed. "Guess I should've put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign up, huh?" he teased. She eyed him.

But what busted through the door was no joke. Hannah came in, bearing a wooden stake in her hand, her eyes burning red. "Lana, move," she said menacingly, eyeing Damon with her burning red eyes – like she was out for blood.

Afraid, Lana put her hands up as if she was surrendering. "Hannah, it's not what it looks like."

Hannah scoffed. "So you're not dating a vampire, that's not what it is, then?" She looked at Lana. "Move, Lana. I don't want to hurt you. The splinters are bitches."

_She doesn't know I'm a vampire,_ Lana thought. "Hannah, listen. They're not bad."

Just then, Stefan emerged from the hallway, his face burnt in vervain. "I tried to stop her…she has vervain water," he choked out.

"Don't move," Hannah warned, "or I'm using this."

"You're going to use it, anyway, I presume," Damon muttered. He looked at Lana, giving her a secret message. _Distract her_.

Lana made a nodding movement and looked at her best friend.

"Hannah, how did you find out about this?" Lana asked. "You don't know what you're doing! Put the stake down!"

"I know _exactly _what I'm doing!" Hannah screamed. "These two are vampires and they've got you under their spell."

"How did you find out about this?" Lana repeated, dumbfounded. Her best friend was standing in front of her, pointing a weapon that could kill all three vampires in the room. How did this happen?

"Ask your little friend," Hannah snapped. "Elena Gilbert? She fed off of me earlier tonight. Matt Donovan explained what happened since I can't be…" Hannah trailed off, looking for the word she was supposed to use.

"Compelled?" Lana filled in. Damon shot her a look of alarm. "What? I was taking precautions."

Hannah paused. "_You _fed me the vervain?" she asked. "Who put you up to it?"  
"Here's the thing…" Lana trailed off. "I'm not on compulsion, Hannah. I'm…" Her eyes moved to the floor, like she didn't want to finish her sentence.

"No…" Hannah said, putting the stake by her side. Lana's eyes moved over to Damon, where her expression told him not to do whatever he was planning. "You're not…" she trailed off, as if heartbroken.

"Hannah, we're not bad," Lana tried to reason with her best friend. Hannah looked as if she'd just been struck by her own wooden stake, but that weapon was now dangerously close to falling out of her hand.

"How…?" Hannah asked.  
"Rebekah," Stefan answered, still panting. "Rebekah turned her into a vampire to get back at Elena for the rest of eternity."

Lana glared at Stefan. "You make my vampirism seem like it was a revenge card. I'm no one's bitch," she scoffed.

"Rebekah…?" Hannah asked, confused. "The blonde-haired girl I met at the prom? The one Elena wanted me to make sure won?"

Lana nodded. "Yes," she answered.

Hannah looked at Damon. "And you." She gripped the wooden stake hard now. "What did you do to my friend when she was human."

Damon sighed. "Things I wasn't proud of," Damon admitted. "But that's over now. I love her, and I'm never going to hurt her." He hurt just thinking about it. "Not again."

Everyone was silent for a moment, as if collecting their memories on Damon's mistakes.

"Hannah, we're not bad," Lana defended. "We're not _bad _vampires."

"Explain that to the vampire who wanted to kill me!" Hannah yelled, as if just remembering why she was here.

"Hannah." It was strong and firm – Lana's voice. "You know me. We've been friends for three years." Lana looked at her friend and stepped closer. Hannah's grip tightened, but Lana was sure she wouldn't need it. "I wasn't hurting you when I came back to Whitmore. I was helping you. I wouldn't be with Damon and Stefan if they were bad people."

_Not really true, _Lana thought in contradiction to her statement. _But Hannah doesn't need to know that. _

It was like she wanted to sob, thinking about the pain Hannah must've felt. Her best friend was apart of the undead living amongst the living. It was fucked up, and she knew it.

Somehow, her thoughts drifted to that first night – when Lana met Damon. She hadn't felt scared at all. Maybe she wasn't even scared when Damon was with her at first. Sure, it wasn't good to be in an abusive relationship, but it felt…good at the same time – being with a man as handsome as Damon.

And look where they ended up now, in a fucked up four-way relationship while her best friend held a wooden stake, threatening to kill them all.

"Believe me," Lana pushed. Hannah's grip loosened on the stake again. "I would never hurt you, Hannah. You're my best friend. And Stefan and Damon aren't going to hurt you, either. We're the good guys." She paused. "And so is Elena, but she lost her brother and Damon made a mistake. He told her to shut her emotions off, so now she's a cold-hearted bitch who will do anything to get what she wants." No one took offense to this – it was true. "Trust me on this." Lana held out her hand to her best friend, beckoning the wooden stake. "Please?"

She didn't need compulsion – all she needed was her friendship to fix this.

Hannah hesitantly moved the wooden stake into her best friend's hand, all the while keeping her game face steady. "I trust you," Hannah told her. "But I'm still not entirely trustworthy of _them_." She looked at the two Salvatores.

Lana nodded. "Just don't try to kill them and we'll be okay," Lana explained. "Are you okay now?"

"I have a lot of questions."

Lana smiled. "I'll be happy to answer them." She looked back at Damon and Stefan. "You should probably check on Elena. Start the process."

Damon huffed, as if angry this whole thing happened. To be honest, Lana wouldn't blame him. Stefan looked at Lana. "Is she going to be okay?" Stefan asked carefully as Hannah drifted towards the window at the edge of the room, possibly grasping all of this information.

Lana sighed. "Maybe," she answered truthfully. When Stefan looked hesitant to go, she urged him out. "Stefan, please. Let me do this." She fit her hand in his. "I'll make her okay."

He sighed. "Are _you _going to be okay?" he asked.

Lana inhaled. "Yes," she answered. "No. Maybe." She paused. "Just give me a little time with her? I'll be down to help you with Elena in a few hours. She must have a lot of questions, and I might just want to take her out to breakfast or something."

Stefan nodded. "Okay," he said. "Don't go too far," he told her. When she shot him a look, he shrugged. "Safety. Please?"

Lana took in a breath. "No promises, but I'll try." She squeezed his hand. "I'll be okay, Stefan. Promise."

He nodded and left, while Damon eyed her.

"_Don't _use the jealousy card on me, Damon," Lana said, poking his shoulder. "We all know who I want, but I'm just not sure who _you _want."

"Oh, stop," Damon said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I've broken my promise not to love again, haven't I?"

"Mm," she said teasingly. "Go. I have girl-time I have to attend to."

He nodded and leaned down to kiss her lips quick. "I love you," he said at last. She nodded and said it back.

When they were gone, she shut the door and looked back at Hannah. "What is it that you'd like to know?"

* * *

They sat at the Mystic Grill, early in the morning, while everything was silent. Lana sipped her coffee and stared at her best friend, who was just processing it. She had told Hannah about mostly everything, up to the point where she got turned into a vampire by Rebekah while she held Stefan, Elena, and Caroline hostage at the school.

"So _that's _why you never picked Brenton up from the school?" Hannah asked her best friend. Lana nodded carefully and continued, moving up to their currents situation. She hadn't gone into all the glory details, leaving out some of them, but highlighting the important ones. The Cure. Elena turning off her emotions when Jeremy died.

"My emotions were heightened at the time I first came a vampire," Lana explained. "That's why our argument got so heated. I'm sorry about that, by the way," she apologized. Hannah nodded.

"I'm sorry about trying to kill you and your friends back there," Hannah said. "What's the deal with the other one…Stefan?" she asked.

Lana inhaled and sipped her drink. "Stefan and I have what's called a sire bond. It's also what Elena and Damon have…or had, I'm not really clear about that." She sighed. "When I was turned, it was on Stefan's vampire blood. I fed off of him, so that means he was practically the one that made me a vampire."

"So how does the sire bond work?" Hannah didn't order a drink, but she chewed on her fingernail as they talked.

"Technically, whatever Stefan tells me to do, or wants me to do, I have to do it. I feel for him…" Lana inhaled. "More than I should."

"So if he asked you to jump off a bridge, you'd do it."

"Only if he was serious," Lana smiled. "No. Because of my…relationship with his brother and because he tried to push Damon away from me, I fought the sire bond." Lana shrugged. "We haven't broken it, and it's still there, but he has to be dead serious about what he wants me to do. If he just asks me to stop going to the Grill because he doesn't want me to, but isn't all that serious about it, I have _some _strength to say no, if I really, really, don't want to do it."

"Is Elena's bond with Damon like that?" Hannah inquired.

"Not at all," Lana answered quickly. "Elena's bond stemmed from her feelings for Damon." Lana shrugged. "I didn't really…_feel _for Stefan in that way. I felt for him when I was under compulsion. I mean, out of everyone…" she trailed off. "He was the nicest. It didn't matter that I was just the play toy of his brother; I was a _human _to him. Important, at some cost." Lana continued, moving back to Elena and Damon. "Elena's feelings…really magnified because of the sire bond. I guess it's broken now that her feelings for Damon are gone because she has no feelings at all, and we're trying what we can to get her back."

"By…torturing her?" Hannah asked. "How is that going to work?"

Taking a deep breath, Lana launched into their theory. She shifted and leaned over the table. "At the prom, Bonnie did some sort of…witch-spell on me and Elena. Elena was so scared…and scared is an emotion. When Damon and Stefan figured that out, we realized that the only way to turn Elena's emotions back on is to make her life a living hell – so bad that she'll want to turn her emotions back on."

"And the Cure?" Hannah moved on. "What's happened to it?"

Lana shrugged. "I don't know. I've been out of the loop for a long time." When Hannah raised her eyebrow, Lana told the story of her leaving Stefan and Damon at the diner back in Willoughby.

"So you're in love with both of them, just like Elena?" Hannah questioned. Lana thought it through.

"Not really," she tried. "I love Damon more than I love Stefan. _Way _more than I love Stefan."

"So why did you try to leave?"

"Elena's relationship with the Salvatores was pissing me off," Lana snapped. "And I was upset. Damon might say he loves me, but he really loves Elena, and I have no idea why I keep going back to him."  
Hannah shrugged. "Maybe you're being paranoid about the whole thing and you're just being stupid." Lana shot her a look. "What? I know what you guys were doing before I came upstairs. Obviously, if you let him back in, you must believe, _somewhere _that he loves you more than Elena."

"Or maybe it's because I love _him_," Lana countered. But this time, she wasn't the psychology major here. Hannah had the experience when it came to men – she had only ever been with _one _man, and that one man happened to try and kill her. But then again, so had Damon. Well, maybe not _kill_, but hurt. Definitely hurt.

"I think you're hoping for it," Hannah continued. "And you still love Stefan. That's never going to go away." Lana raised her eyebrows. "What? From what you tell me, you left because you didn't want to 'ruin the Salvatore relationship', but it honestly seems like a bunch of crap." Hannah leaned over the table. "You're in love with them both. Maybe you love Damon more, but just because you _think _he's in love with Elena doesn't mean you believe he's in love with Elena. Inside, you're hoping it's not true."

Lana smiled at her best friend. "We should get back," Lana admitted at last. "We have some torturing to do."

* * *

**A/N: Sigh. No more updates tonight because I can't watch TVD because it's upstairs and my mom is sleeping…but this story is almost over! Three more chapters! And then I'm going to make you guys painfully wait for an entire week while the first chapter will most likely be written already :)**

**Please read ****_NicoleSalvator1918's _****Vampire Diaries story, ****_If I Never See Your Face Again. _****It's a Stefan/OC, Damon/OC just like this, but more centered around Stefan's relationship. But it's really, really, really good and it deserves more views!**

**If you could it would be completely and totally awesome. She might want to delete it and I CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN! I love it too much… **

**By the way, I recreated all of Lana's sets on Polyvore. It was really bothering me how it was so bland, so I created the sets again with templates. The links are on my profile if you want to go back and reminisce over Human Lana :P **

**More soon, but reviews equal love and love equals more updates! A few more chapters, guys, just stick with me!**

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	32. XXXII

**Trying this new thing where I ****_don't _****put the A/N at the beginning of my author's notes. **

**So I was messing around on my Mac, and I ended up deleting all the Fan Fiction files I had saved, but it's no big deal because I've already uploaded them all, and the only thing I had had on my files and hadn't updated was this chapter, but it was only the author's note. **

**I had a few things to ask you guys…**

**First of all, I want to know if you guys even ****_want me _****to make a sequel, because I don't want it to end up being one of those things where I make a sequel, no one reads it, and then I end up deleting the sequel ****_and _****the first story. I ****_can _****wrap this story up; it'll just have to go differently in the finale chapter. Or I could keep it all on this story, but I would just have to put a breaker on it. **

**So please tell me in a review whether or not you want me to make a sequel and if you would read it. ****If you won't, be honest. I can't have dishonesty when it comes to making another story, because I'll be screwed and I hate that. **

**Like I said, I can also just keep this all on ****_one _****story, so if you'd rather prefer I do that, TELL ME! Don't be afraid to speak up!**

**Secondly, I've just uploaded a new story this morning, a ****_Vampire Diaries, _****no-OC character story. It's a Datherine pairing. No Delena, bitchy Elena…pretty much like this story but with a Datherine pairing. **

**Please read it and tell me what you think! ****It's called ****_Dangerous Game. _**

**That's it! Remember to review after the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Based off of ****_She's Come Undone. _****Two more episodes left, guys! I'm excited! I own whatever plotline I make up, the writing, and the OCs.**

* * *

**_XXXII_**

He opened his eyes slowly, frustrated to the very maximum. Why wouldn't Elena listen? Damn Elena. _Elena! _He wanted to shout at her until she turned her emotions back on. Why did the sire bond have to crap out _now_?

"You still have her locked in the safe?" Stefan complained, finally joining Damon downstairs. Two people trailed behind him, Lana – freshly dressed – and her friend, Hannah, was it? "You've been in her head for an hour." Damon held up his finger to signal a waiting sign.

"Still nothing?" Lana asked Damon. Damon shook his head and turned to the safe. With a pull, he opened it.

"How are you doing in there?" he mocked to Elena as he saw her, curled up at the bottom of the safe, her head limp. He pulled her out of the safe and bent down to her level. "Is the old you ready to come out and play?"

"Go to hell," Elena mumbled, her eyes tired.

Damon sighed. "Okay," he told her. "Back you go." He shoved her into the safe, trying not to think about whom it was he was stuffing into a small little box. All in two seconds, he locked it and leaned against it. "We can do this the nice way, or we can do it…the other way. But either way"—Damon crossed his arms—"we're not stopping until you turn your humanity switch back on."

He shot a look at Lana, who was watching with knitted eyebrows. What was she thinking? "So I'm going to let you think about that," Damon continued. "And I'm going to come back for you in a couple hours." He paused. "Or a couple years." Stefan sighed and licked his lips. "Because all we have," Damon began, "is time." He patted the surface of the metal safe.

* * *

"I see the emotional hell theory didn't work," Lana sighed when she and Damon finally had a moment alone. Hannah was off grabbing something to eat while Caroline and Stefan fought it out because she wanted to see Elena.

Damon poured himself a glass of bourbon and exhaled. "So far, no," Damon admitted. "She won't take _any _bait. It's like she knows I'm never going to hurt her." He drained nearly all of his bourbon; frustrated with everything that was going on in his life.  
"Do you think she knows that?" Lana asked carefully, sitting down on the couch. "She knows that you two won't hurt her so she's not afraid? _Actually _afraid?"

Damon shook his head. "I won't kill her, but I'll slap her around a few times if that's what it takes." He paused. "She's _not _the old Elena."

Lana shrugged. "She looks like it, she seems like it, she can fake it," Lana reasoned. "Why wouldn't you believe it?"

Damon puckered his lips, as if thinking. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. "So…" he said, moving closer to the vampire in front of him. "We never _really _got to finish our…experiments the other night." Damon smirked. "And you've been gone for a couple days, in and out." He moved to the couch and sat next to her.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was bringing my stuff back, and if it's okay with you, I'd like to bring Hannah here." Damon nodded. "I-I don't mean to impose or anything, but if Elena ever gets on the loose…and there are too many people after you all, which means they know about me, which means they know about her."

"Complicated equation," Damon stated. She smiled.

"Yeah, I guess."  
He moved closer, this time putting one hand on her cheek. "I don't care, as long as I get you back." Damon's lips touched hers for a moment. "Nine days too long."

"Well, a little more than nine when you count the days I was in and out of the house," Lana corrected. Damon rolled his eyes.  
"Whatever." All was quiet for a moment as he kissed her, and no more words came out of either vampire's mouth. Just as they were trying to keep it innocent, it didn't turn out that way. Her hands threaded through his hair and he pulled her closer. _Nine days…_Damon groaned in his head. _Way too long. _

His thoughts drifted back to the times where she would do this…under his compulsion. His lips slipped to her shoulder, where he trailed back and forth on her neck. The days when he would feed from her like he didn't care at all, but he would stop when he could feel the blood slow. The days when he would share blood with her like it was nothing. Nothing at all.

And that day when they were on the island – the day where she had fed him her _vampire _blood. No blood was better than human blood, but vampire blood was a whole different level.

Damon thought of all this, nostalgic, as he kissed her jawline. "Lana…" he mumbled.

Swallowing, she answered. "Yeah?" she asked, whispering.

"Do you miss being human?" he questioned, his voice quiet. For a moment, she pulled away, searching his eyes for any misconception. Had she given him that impression?

"I-I don't _mind _being a vampire," Lana said at last. "I don't miss being human, but I wouldn't mind it again," she admitted. "Why?"

Damon swallowed. "I've been trying so hard to get the Cure for Elena," Damon whispered. "And I've never even asked you if you wanted it."

For a moment, she thought. When she opened her mouth to say something, that's when Hannah appeared with fresh food – human food. From the Mystic Grill.

"I didn't know if you guys were hungry, so I brought back some food for you." Hannah already knew they could eat regular food. Lana slid off of Damon's lap and smiled at her friend.

"Thanks," Lana said, clearing her throat. Hannah narrowed her eyes.

"I interrupted something again, didn't I?" she questioned.

Damon nodded. "Yep." He grinned.

"Sorry," Hannah said sheepishly.

"It's okay," Lana said quickly and grabbed a fry out of the bag. "So," she continued, moving on. "What are we going to do about this Elena problem?"

"Obviously," Damon started, grabbing the Mystic Grill bag from Lana, "going into her head and torturing her isn't working…"

"Starving her isn't, either," Hannah filled in.

"Neither is torturing her by locking her in a metal box." Damon pushed a fry into his mouth. "Lana Mercer, PhD, please give us one of your lovely ideas." He cocked a grin and she sighed.

"We're going to have to go hard on this." She looked at Damon, and then at Stefan who entered the room at that moment. "Are you guys okay with actual, literal torturing? Not just mental or emotional torturing…_physical, _near-death torturing?"

Damon and Stefan looked at each other, but they had no other choice. They wanted the old Elena back, and this was how they were going to get her.

* * *

Damon slammed the fire extinguisher on the floor loudly, startling the emotionless vampire awake.

"Good, you're awake," Damon smiled. "We thought you could use a little sunshine." Damon looked over at Stefan, where it was his cue to pull the curtain back. So the sunlight would direct Elena to her left hand, where her ring was no longer on her finger. Lana stood in the corner, her arms crossed, watching Elena's reaction.

"Looking for this?" Lana proposed, holding up Elena's ring so it showed in the sunlight. Elena glared at Lana.

"Aw, you know the rules," Damon cooed. "Bad girls don't get nice jewelry," he said, his voice like a small child's.

"You took my ring…" Elena said through her scratchy throat. "I'm devastated," she quipped. "And bored," she added. "Can I go back to solitary now?"  
Damon smiled. "No," he answered. "I kind of like you in the hot seat."

"Whenever you're ready, Stefan," Lana told him, eyeing the emotionless vampire. Elena looked to the side where Stefan's hand grazed the curtain, threatening to pull back and unleash the afternoon sun.

"Am I supposed to be scared?" Elena challenged.

"You will be," Stefan answered. "And when you are, focus on that fear." He paused. "It's the key to getting your humanity back."

"You're not going to burn me," Elena told them, as if she knew already.

"You don't think so?" Lana proposed.

"No," Elena snapped. "And even if you do manage to get my emotions back, I'll remember this and _hate _all of you for it."

Lana stepped closer and squatted down to Elena's level, slowly debating with a tilt of her head. "You want to know a funny story?" she challenged. Elena said nothing. "First of all, I don't care, second of all, humanity Elena hated me anyway, and third, I _really _don't care."

Elena smiled weakly. "They do," she said.

Damon _tsk_ed. "It's worth the risk," he shrugged, but everyone knew he was bluffing.

Stefan pulled back the curtain in a slow movement, and the sunlight hit Elena's unprotected body, and she screamed in mind-numbing pain. It drowned out the sound of everything else – even all of the three vampires' thoughts.

* * *

Damon put the flames that busted out on Elena's hands to rest with his fire extinguisher. "I bet that feels better, huh?" Damon said as Stefan pulled the curtains back into place. "How about a little gratitude - or…any human emotion _whatsoever_ – and we can stop this!"

Elena muttered something under her breath, something that the vampires couldn't hear.

"What's that?" Lana asked.

"I said," Elena nearly shouted. "I'm going to kill you."

"Bingo!" Damon exclaimed. "See? There's a little rage! I should've figured that be the _first _emotion that came out of you! I tend to pull that out of people."

"Elena, look at me," Stefan told her, bending down so he could look into her eyes. She slowly turned her head, if not limply, murderously. "It's okay. You can stop this _right _now. It's _your _choice." Good-cop, bad-cop. It had been Damon's idea.

Elena actually laughed. "It's kind of funny, actually," Elena admitted. "You being the one to pull back the curtain?" Stefan sighed. "I bet part of you enjoys it." She paused. "Since…you know, I dumped you and all."

"Wow," Damon interrupted. "That was downright _vindictive._" The two brothers bent side-by-side. "See, I think, now, we're breaking through that tough candy shell and getting to the ooey-gooey rich center of your humanity."

He paused for a moment when Lana continued. "We should continue," she said. "All this talking won't get Elena anywhere, it'll just make her go back to her tough-candy shell as Damon put it." Lana looked at Stefan. "I think we should shine some light on the subject, don't you think?"

Stefan got up quickly and walked over to the window.

"Let me guess," Elena said, moving her head to the side to view the younger Salvatore. "This is going to hurt you a lot more than it's going to hurt me."

"Look, I know what you're going through," Stefan started. "After all you've done, you're afraid to face the _guilt _you'll feel if you turned your emotions back on." He looked at Damon and then continued. "The only way we can help you is to make the alternative hurt even worse."

Elena chuckled and closed her eyes when Stefan pulled back the curtain, making her scream loudly once more.

* * *

Elena thrashed back and forth in her chair as the light hit her, making her skin turn red and her body feel as if it was on fire, and technically, it was. She screamed more and more until Stefan pulled the curtain back into its place and took his side beside Damon. Elena relaxed.

"You're going to thank us for this," Damon told her over her light screams. "After you turn it back on, you'll realize life with no emotions blew."

"You know what else blew?" Elena shouted at the elder Salvatore. "Being sired to you. Going _every _day believing that I was in love with you. I remember _every _horrible moment of it." She paused to chuckle. "And you," she began. "So scared that it wasn't going to be real – well guess what, _it wasn't_!"

"I'll tell you what didn't blow," Lana challenged, taking her turn with Elena. "Knowing that every day, when Damon spent time with me, he would talk about how _selfish, needy, _and _heartless _you were." She paused. "And I'll tell you what blew. After _I _became a vampire and had to deal with _your _crap. Yeah, that's what blew." Without hesitation, she took the palm of her hand and slapped Elena's cheek as hard as a vampire could manage. Damon and Stefan wanted to intervene, but they'd been warned. Elena cried in pain. "You know, Elena, I would've _hated _to know you as a human," Lana admitted. "But then again, since emotions are heightened after you're a vampire, you were probably a smidge smaller of a bitch than you were when you were a human."

Elena laughed. "Oh, you talk like you're actually _apart _of this love fest!" Elena shouted. Her cheek wasn't red, but it probably felt that way. "Like _anyone _here ever _loved _you. Damon was the one who brought you into our lives, and that was because all he wanted to do was _fuck,_" Elena spat. "Fuck me over, fuck you literally while he drained your blood, and fuck his brother and everyone else in this town because he couldn't deal with _his _problems!" She paused. "And as for Stefan? Stefan only loved you because _I _rejected him_. _Damon only loved you because he thought there would be no chance that _I _would love him. All you are is the rebound, and you'll _never _have the attention that _I _do."

Elena turned to the Salvatores. "Go ahead," she urged. "Keep trying to get the old me back." She looked at Stefan. "Who knows? Maybe Stefan and I will give it another go."

No one expected it, not Stefan, not Damon, and certainly not Lana. Elena ripped off one of the ropes that bound her to the chair she was forced into and sped over to the window with her speed. In a flash, she ripped the curtains off the rod and stood, arms spread, waiting to be consumed by the sun and die. Her body went into flames, but Stefan, Damon, and Lana raced over so fast and pushed her into the shadows, she didn't have enough time to burn completely. Lana sprayed her with the fire extinguisher.

Elena chuckled.

"I am the girl that you love," she said through a cough. "You wouldn't do anything to _actually _hurt me, you just proved that." Elena looked at Lana and unspoken words passed through them.

"So what do I really have to be afraid of?" Elena laughed and rolled over on her back, as if enjoying their failure.

* * *

He hadn't even bothered with a glass of bourbon this time; it was the entire bottle that he drained, straight from the mouth of it.

"So, that went well," Stefan said sarcastically.

"_Every _other vampire turns it on, no problem." Damon turned around. Lana stood beside Stefan, her arms crossed. "You kill, you feed. You do all the awful things that a vampire does, and when you're done, you turn it back on!" He was frustrated, again, beyond belief. "Why is she being so _stubborn?" _Damon demanded and threw the bottle to the Salvatore home, where the bottle broke on the house's frame.

"Because she has _nothing _to come back to," Stefan reasoned. "Jeremy's gone, her family's gone. She alienated her friends, she destroyed her relationships."

"No," Damon countered. "She wants to come back. Scaring the hell out of her should've worked. She's _smart. _She knows we're not going to hurt her."

"All right," Stefan proposed. "So Lana can torture her. You slapped her back there, no problem."

Lana shook her head. "No, Stefan, she knows I care about you two and I won't do anything to piss _you _guys off."

"But it wouldn't piss us off, it'd make us happy!" Damon proclaimed.

"Not if it ends up with her being dead!" Lana snapped. "I saved her from killing herself back there, too, you know, she knows I'm not going to _physically _hurt her, to the point where it might come down to death. That's how we have to scare her. Someone who will kill her and not give a rat's ass."

"Hannah?" Stefan proposed.

"Human," Lana answered. "Plus, she cares about me, I care about you, you care about Elena, and it's this whole damn chain cycle…_fuck_." She ran a hand through her hair. "I should've seen it coming."

"You had no way of knowing," Stefan told her. "Look, who do we know that will _actually _hurt Elena? Not a human," he added.

"Who?" Damon paused, as if seeing where Stefan was going. "Katherine?" Damon asked.

"Think about it. She's the reason Jeremy's dead, right? So if anyone's going to provoke an emotion it's her."

"So we call her, and then what?" Damon asked. "Beg her to help us out of the kindness of her own heart? You kidding me?"

"Katherine was just abandoned by Elijah. She has nothing. She has no one. We invite her into our house to come torture Elena?" Stefan proposed. "There's no way she's going to turn that down."

Damon looked at his brother, his eyes full of understanding.

* * *

It was after Katherine had shown up, after they had finally had a few minutes of alone time and peace and quiet with one another when he finally asked the question he'd been dying to know the answer to since he'd first asked this morning.

As Lana poured herself a drink, Damon looked at her, full of suspicion. "You never answered my question this morning," he told her, eyeing her carefully.

She gulped down a large swig of the alcohol in her cup. "It's because I don't have an answer, Damon," she admitted to him.

"Why not?" Damon asked, looking at her. "You have feelings, too, right? I won't be mad, I just want to know."  
Lana put her glass down on the counter, a little too loudly. "And if I said I wanted the Cure, Damon?" she proposed. "What are you going to do? Give the Cure to me instead of Elena."

Damon was absolutely silent. No, he couldn't do that. He didn't want to do that. Stefan wouldn't fly for it, either.

"I just…" he trailed off. Restarting, he sighed. "I _just _want to know."

Lana opened her mouth, but nothing came out of it. Instead of answering his question, she started with something else. After another long gulp, she slammed the glass down and traced the top of it with her fingertip.

"Elena was right, you know," she whispered quietly. "The only reason you developed a relationship with me was because of hate. Hate on everyone in this town." Lana paused to look up. "I shouldn't be apart of this."

"But you _are_," Damon countered. "And who cares what Elena thinks. She doesn't know anything." He grabbed Lana's hand and she wanted _so _badly to jerk away, but it felt nice to have his hand in hers again. "It's you and me, Lana. She doesn't know about us. Elena wasn't there when we met, or when I first kissed you, or when we did that dance video game at your friend's house." Damon pulled her onto his lap, and she didn't object. "When we first…"  
"Damon, hush," she snapped. "So what, she wasn't there? You didn't love me back then."

"I was _afraid _to love you back then." He brushed a piece of her hair out of her eyes. "It wasn't that I didn't have feelings, Lana. I loved you, but I didn't know it until I let you in. Getting over Elena was hard."

"You're still not over her," Lana objected. "I don't know why you try and convince me that you're not."

He leaned forward and kissed her. "Lana, would you like the Cure?" Damon asked seriously.

"No," she answered, serious. "I don't want it."

He tilted his head and grimaced, as if not believing her. She sighed and leaned forward and kissed him once before she had to say what she had to say.

"If I become human and Elena chooses you, you're going to compel me to go away." Lana climbed off of his lap and swallowed the rest of her drink. "And I'm done being compelled, thank you very much." She turned to walk out. "I'll be back soon, I'm just going to get a vampire bite to eat."

And she walked out, without another word.

Turns out, she missed all the drama.

* * *

It was only after they had brought the humanity-stricken Elena home when Lana showed back. Stefan had told her she could eat humans again, so she had a very nice, fulfilling dinner. But she didn't kill anyone, despite the feeling that she wanted to.

"Elena got her humanity back," Stefan told Lana when she returned. "Are you okay? Everything with Elena earlier…" Stefan trailed off as Lana lowered her eyes. "None of that is true. Damon loves you."

"Whatever," Lana brushed it off. "Just…let's go talk to Elena."

Stefan wanted to say something else, but he only nodded and led Lana back to the living room.

"How are you feeling?" Damon asked, eyeing Stefan and Lana as they walked into the room.

"The pain's still there," Elena whispered, clutching the blanket Damon had just given her. "The grief…and the shame." Her eyes wandered over to Lana, who just lowered hers. "But I get it, now. Shutting it off, it's a cheat. I mean, you put up this wall and shut out everything that makes you who you are…" She trailed off and then continued. "Nothing affects you, nothing matters. But things _do _matter. Things happen that can't be undone, and now I know that there's something I need to do about that."

_Always the hero, _Lana sighed, trying not to shake her head. _Welcome back, old Elena Gilbert. _

"Elena, what you need to do is…rest. Take it easy for a couple of days. Maybe even for a couple of years." He held out his alcoholic drink. "Here."

She turned it away. "I…I'm done resting. I have to get ready, there's…so much I have to do."

Stefan looked at Damon, and Damon took the lead.

"Whoa, hey. What are you talking about?" Damon asked.

"Think about it, it's…so obvious." All three stared at her, not getting it. "Go back far enough. There's one person who brought us to this. Who ruined our lives? And…look at you two. Everything that's happened to you…_she _did that. She brought Klaus to Mystic Falls, she turned Caroline into a vampire…_she killed my brother_."

Rage. The first emotion. The emotion Elena wanted to hold onto.

"It all comes down to her," Elena explained. "Katherine. Okay? Stefan said to focus on one thing, so I did. I focused on hate." Mentally, Lana did a face-palm. _Stefan…_ "And I hate her so much."

"Well, I don't think that's what he meant," Damon started.

Stefan intervened. "Elena, Katherine's not worth your time. Even if you spend ten minutes of your life hating her, she wins."

"Not if I kill her," Elena answered.

It was moments later when Lana started…_laughing_.

Elena, Damon, and Stefan all looked at her. With a drink in her hand, she couldn't control the chuckles that escaped out of her mouth.

When no one laughed with her, she stopped. "Wait…Elena, you're serious?" she asked.

Elena shook her head. "I don't have time for this. I have to get ready."

Stefan looked at Lana with alarmed eyes. "What?" Lana prompted. "She's _literally _serious? Elena is going to kill a six hundred year old vampire? How long as she been undead? Barely a year? Not even a year." Still, no one said anything. "Wait, she's literally serious? Like, drop dead serious? No way. No way." Lana shook her head and began laughing again, this time uncontrollably.

Stefan took the alcohol beverage out of her hand. "Okay…I think you have had enough."

* * *

**You like that part at the end? That was so my reaction, and I just wanted to put it in there for a keepsake. **

**I might update tomorrow, but remember: **

**Please review telling me whether you want me to make a sequel (and if you will read it). I can just continue on this story, if you all want. Be honest. I really need you guys to tell me THIS CHAPTER so I can figure out what to do, whether I end it here, continue it on this story, or create a sequel. **

**Could you guys take a look at my Datherine story if you have the time? It's called ****_Dangerous Game. _**

**Thanks, guys! **

**Reviews equal love and love equals more updates!  
****_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts!_**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**


	33. XXXIII

**So we have a pissed off Lana at Damon this chapter, especially after the first part. Things aren't going to be so easy now. **

**But then again, what ****_are _****things easy? **

**A lot of you said to do the sequel, but I want you to ****_keep telling me! _****Sequel, no sequel, or continue the story ****_under this story. _****It's completely possible for me to do that last option. **

**Enjoy the chapter, everyone. **

**Disclaimer: ****_The Walking Dead_****! One more episode, guys! Getting excited over here. I don't own TVD, but I own my characters and the writing. Short chapter because this was one of my least favorite episodes and I just didn't want to write all the Damon parts in it, so it's strictly from my imagination. But the next chapter will probably be double, if not, triple, the size.**

* * *

**_XXXIII_**

It was early in the morning, sure, and the sun _had _already made its presence over the horizon. Everything was visible and available to see.

Did Lana Mercer care? No, she really didn't.

After seeing Elena with her emotions off, it looked _so _easy to just flip that tiny little switch and not care about anything. Not care about Damon, not care about Stefan, not care about hurting them by hurting Elena – something she wanted to do _so, _so very bad.

But then she had thought of the bad side, being a complete and total bitch to everyone. That wouldn't end well.

But who would really _care_?

She hadn't chosen the right outfit to do what she was doing now, leading a naïve male down the corner and into a deserted alley in the back of the Mystic Grill. She didn't know she would want to lure this poor boy when she walked into the Grill with white pants, a laced beige-color top, and nude colored shoes. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders and draped down as she yanked him further, looking back and forth to see if there was anyone coming.

Did she care that it was light out? No. She didn't. Lana pulled back her teeth and sank her hungry fangs into the boy's neck, slowly draining life. She didn't plan on taking all of it, and she didn't.

Lana carefully fed, trying her best not to get blood on her clothing.

"Seriously not the right time to feed, honey." The voice startled her, and Lana stopped drinking from the poor high school boy. She had gotten only a little blood on her mouth, but it luckily had not dripped on her clothing. Pulling away. She turned around to face Damon with a sour smile.

"I think I'm okay," she shot. "Shouldn't you be with Elena? Or your brother?"

"I have more important things to do right now," Damon answered, smirking. "Like making sure my girlfriend doesn't get caught feeding off of a high school boy days before his graduation."

Lana's stomach churned, but she coughed to cover up the slight pang of guilt she felt. _Graduation, _she thought. _That's right. _

"He'll be fine," she assured Damon. "I wasn't going to drink all of him."

"You shouldn't be feeding in the first place," Damon snapped and brushed past her. He moved to the boy and compelled him quickly, telling him to pop his collar and not remember this ever happened. Lana turned around, exasperated.

"I was hungry," she complained. "You were the one who caught me the snatch-eat-erase."

"Not in _broad daylight!" _Damon corrected. "You could've gotten caught."

"Yeah, well, I didn't," she spat. Damon eyed her carefully, as if searching for something in her eyes.

She snapped, "What?"

"Did you…" Damon trailed off. "Did you turn—?"

"I'm not _weak_," Lana interrupted Damon from finishing his sentence. "All that happened was that I got pissed and sad about what Elena said. I'm no attention stealer, like someone we know."

All was quiet for a moment before Lana sighed and sat down on a wooden storage box. "I'm…sorry. I'm just tired of everything."

Damon nodded. "Understandable." He sat down on the box with her. "Nothing Elena said was true, though, you have to believe that."  
"I want to," she told him. "I do. So much. But I feel like I'm imposing on everything. I shouldn't _be _here."

"_I'm _the one who brought you here," Damon snapped. "So you _are _meant to be here." He paused. "Do you remember when you said the same thing before we went to the island to look for the Cure?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm going to say the same thing to you now – _I _want you here. To hell with Elena, to hell with Stefan, to hell with everything else…_I _want you here."

Lana exhaled largely, but offered a weak smile. "I love you," Damon finished.

"Me, too," she said. He leaned forward and pressed a small kiss on her lips before he pulled away and inhaled. "What?" she asked, a smile breaking out on her lips.

"I know I'm going to regret picking another fight," Damon said at last, "But you've always avoided this question, and if we might end up dying in the next couple days because Silas can come out of freaking nowhere, I just have to ask."

"I don't want the Cure," Lana answered quickly. "I've never wanted it. I want you to give it to Elena."

Damon shook his head. "Not that," he replied. "I want to know…when you said you could never love again…even though it was a lie, because you love me and I love you back, what…what happened to make you feel that way?"

Lana was quiet for a moment. "Damon…"  
"Tell me," Damon said. "Please?"

She looked at him, as if debating whether it was a good thing to tell him or not. After a few moments, she decided against it. "No," she said finally. "I can't. I can't tell you, Damon, I'm sorry."

Lana got up to leave, to sprint out, but instead, she ended up getting pulled back by Damon.

"Fine," he said, nodding his head. "You don't have to tell me. I understand." It was through his teeth when he said the words. "But do me a favor?"

"Yes?"  
"Stay away from Mystic Falls for the night," Damon instructed her. She gave him a worried look, but he shook his head. "Please. There's no time for you arguing, just take Hannah and leave town for the night. Go to Richmond." He pulled out his wallet and handed her a gold credit card. "Buy whatever you want, just _stay away _from Mystic Falls tonight."

"Damon, what's going on?" she asked worriedly.

"Lana, Silas is a very _bad _man," Damon answered. "And with Elena going on her Katherine-hating rampage, I don't want you to be caught in the middle of it. All I want is for you to be safe."

"I'm not going anywhere," she said stubbornly. Damon sighed.

"Fine," he answered. "Then I can lock you up in the basement until everything is over." Lana glared at him, as if debating which one would be more painful. "Please?" he resorted to begging. "_Just _this one time. Listen to me as a vampire. Go to Richmond and come back tomorrow morning."

She took the credit card and tossed it in her hands. "And if something happens to you?" Lana proposed.

"Nothing will happen to me, I've been a vampire for nearly two centuries."  
"Silas is immortal."

"Yeah, well, never mind that bastard. I don't want Elena focusing her hate on _you_, either."

He made a valid point.

Damon pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "For me?" he prompted.

She thought about it for a minute before nodding. "Okay," she agreed. "I'll leave."

* * *

When they arrived in Richmond, it wasn't long before Damon's credit card was put to use.

"How does he get _money _for that?" Hannah asked Lana, suspicious. Lana shrugged and opened the car door, where she tossed their bags into the back and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Who really cares?" Lana asked as she started the car. "You don't seem to mind."

"Well, his other girlfriend almost killed me, so he deserves it."

"You're blaming _Damon _for something that _Elena _did?"

"No," Hannah corrected. "But Damon's a dick, anyway, so what's the point in even saying that when I can blame him for other things?"

Lana sighed. "We _are _still in a relationship, never mind our constant fighting."

Hannah looked at her friend. "Why _do _you two do that, anyway?"

Lana shrugged. "We have problems," she said honestly. "Where to—"

It was just as she said the words when she saw something out of the corner of her eye on the windshield and slammed down on the breaks. A human. A person. Someone. She hit someone. _Oh, dear God, _Lana thought carefully, shutting her eyes.

Both Lana and Hannah climbed out of the car to see what she hit. But when they got out of the car to check it out, there was no one under the car or in front of it.

_Snap._

A twig snapped, making Lana's vampire senses perk up in wonder.

_Snap. _

There it was again. She looked around, trying to focus on what it was. Did she hit a vampire? Why was that even a question, it couldn't be remotely possible. And it was stupid. _Lana, stop being stupid, _she commanded herself.

_Snap._

There it was _again! _She looked around more, and finally spotted a figure moving through the trees. It was familiar, and in the afternoon sun, it was a little easier to see.

"What is it?" Hannah asked, looking in the same direction.

"I hit someone," Lana mumbled.

"Well, _duh_," Hannah mused. "But where's the genius now?" Things are never easy.

Even in the shadows, Lana could make out a face. Not a very good image of the face, but a face, nonetheless.

And for a second, it almost looked like…

"Peter?" Lana whispered, squinting. No. He was in prison.

"Peter?" Hannah asked, turning around and trying to find the ex-con. "What? Impossible. Where?"

But it was too late, because whomever the figure belonged to, he or she was already gone.

* * *

**I'm sorry for the short chapter, but it was a really boring episode, and in return, it's a really boring chapter. Fuck. Next chapter's the season finale. **

**I have to watch the season finale again. **

**_I. Hate. The. Season. Finale. So. Much. _**

**I really do. Worst season finales in the history of season finales. Actually, it's kind of funny, because I thought this season was going to be epic because Elena was a vampire. Plus, it was the season ****_right _****after I went and met Ian. **

**What a large, devastating, humiliating disappointment. **

**I'm so tired right now I just want to sleep. **

**But then again…you know, I have other things to do. Things to write. Feels to give. **

**But no one ever even cares. **

**Okay, I'm done with my stupid ass rant. I'm just going to leave now. Maybe watch a movie and cool off. **

**Inhale. Reviews equal love and love equals more updates. **

**_Feedback is always appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts. _**

**_Love, _**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**

**PS: If you haven't told me whether you want a sequel or not, tell me in a review. I really need to know. I can either make another story, don't make another story, or continue it on this one. So far, the sequel's pretty popular…**

**And if you can, please read my Datherine story, ****_Dangerous Game. _****Thank you so much. **

**And (sorry…I'm dragging this on again) please read NicoleSalvatore1918's TVD story, ****_If I Never See Your Face Again. _****I'm still waiting for an update…**

**Okay, I'm done now. **


	34. XXXIV

**Okay, I'm trying really hard not to think about the Gossip Girl finale and the fact that Ed Westwick is British and I can't explain how much I am in love with him. But never mind that, I'm trying to focus my attention on the gorgeous Damon Salvatore and the finale episode that is pissing me off.**

**Inhales. Okay. Moving on…**

**This is all going to be one chapter because I have this OCD about odd numbers (except for 5), and I have to finish this in one chapter otherwise it'll bother the living daylights out of me for the rest of my life. Sorry, I'm weird like that….**

**I'll be taking a short one-week break from this story and its sequel, first of all because I don't want to rush into anything and just post the new story and second because I'm going away to the Vampire Diaries convention on Wednesday night. It might mean that I'll write, but I'm saving this story for a little while. I know, I'm cruel :)**

**If any of you guys watch Gossip Girl, I'm probably going to be making a fan fiction soon. Just a forewarning :P**

**Moving onto the chapter…enjoy, everyone.**

**Disclaimer: It's ****_Graduation _****time in Mystic Falls, with the added addition of my two OCs, Lana and Hannah. There are a few snippets from earlier chapters in this last chapter, as Lana will be reflecting over her time with Damon, because of his decision. Will he choose Elena or Lana? You'll have to find out…**

* * *

_Love's the sweetest feeling_

_Openly believing_

_No matter what we find there_

_Come back in through the eyes there_

_-Fire in the Water, Feist_

* * *

**_XXXIV_**

_"You do know, I can never love again, right?"_

With her head rested against her hand propped up on the car, Lana drove the SUV down a highway, ten miles over the speed limit.

What she saw, back in Richmond…it couldn't have been real. Peter was gone – locked away for life. He was probably sitting in a prison cell with his grimace in that horrifically distasteful orange color, rotting away like he should be. It was her nerves getting to her.

Earlier, before they had gotten on the road to Mystic Falls per Damon's request, he had called her to tell her that Elena was off her Katherine-hating kick. Which meant that her emotions were fully in tact, and she was thinking clearly.

_"I know. I'm okay with it."_

"Lana!" Hannah screamed from the passenger seat as she took control of the wheel, putting them back on the paved road. Lana straightened and grasped the wheel with her fingers tightly. "What the hell?"

"Sorry," Lana muttered, sighing. "I didn't mean to."

Hannah stared at her best friend for a moment before finally asking _that _question. "What's wrong?"

_"You are?"_

"Nothing," Lana tried, but failed epically. "It's just…this whole Damon and Elena thing," she said at last, after her friend had given her the death stare.

"What about it?" Hannah propositioned. "He loves you, right? Didn't he tell you that a while ago? Aren't you together?" she pressured.

"Yeah, yeah," Lana answered quickly. "We are….most definitely." Lana shook her head. "But it was different. He told me he loved me after he turned Elena's emotions off. What if…?"

"Now that she's got her emotions back on," Hannah filled in, "he loves her again?"

"No, it's not that." She shook her head, realizing what she was worried about. "Damon loves Elena. That will never change."

"So he's in love with another girl, which you fully understand, and you're with him…why?" Hannah questioned, confused.

Lana sighed. Who would ever understand? "I love him," she said simply. "And…and…"

_"For once, I don't feel like I need to love you back for some reason that I can't explain."_

"And…?" Hannah prompted. "Lana, if he chose you over Elena, what are you afraid of?"

Lana thought for a moment. What was she afraid of? The fact that Elena Gilbert was the heartbreaker of the Salvatore brothers, or the fact that Lana had become_exactly _like Elena Gilbert, torn between the two brothers. "It's…the sire bond," Lana admitted, but it was mostly false. What she had trouble with wasn't Damon's feelings, it was her own. "If it's _really _broken, what if Elena still feels the same way?"

"That's _ridiculous_!" Hannah snorted, laughing uncontrollably. "You said it yourself, her feelings are a projection of the sire bond. You're at the top of our psychology class." Hannah laughed again, as if finding it the funniest joke in the world.

Truth was, Lana wasn't so sure. With vampires, things like that were never certain.

"It's something else, isn't it?" Hannah whispered after Lana didn't speak for a while. "Lana, what is it? You can tell me anything. Do you not love Damon anymore?"

_"You can't love, and neither can I."_

Lana shot her friend a look as she removed the car from the highway by veering off to the exit they needed to get to Mystic Falls. It was already morning, and early.

"Of course I do," Lana said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. It probably was. "But…"

"But?" Hannah said, trying to bite back a smile. "Is this about Stefan?" _Damn, _Lana thought spitefully.

_"Someone must've screwed you up pretty bad."_

"It's nothing," Lana answered immediately. "Let's just forget we had this conversation and move on." She took a sharp turn to enter the town of Mystic Falls.

"Oh," Hannah said, her smile dropping. "It really _is _about Stefan, isn't it?"

"Hannah, I said enough," Lana snapped through her teeth. "Let's drop it."

_"Touché."_

* * *

"Ugh," Damon groaned to himself as he took a sip of his early morning fix of bourbon. "What is that _god _awful music?" He finished his drink and moved into the room where the noise came from. _Crap, _Damon thought to himself. _Lexi and Stefan. This can't be good._

"Damon!" Drunk-Stefan boomed when Damon entered the room. "Help me celebrate my seventeenth high school graduation!"

Damon turned off the stereo, but Stefan kept droning on with his drunken self.

"Hey, _you _remember my friend Lexi, of course."

"Lexi," Damon snarled. "Back from the dead. Goodie." In a flash, Damon was pinned to the nearest wall in the house, Lexi's hand wrapped around his throat, cutting his windpipe off.

"What's up, buzz kill?" Lexi snapped.

"Stefan?" Damon tried. "You just going to sit there and let her enact her ghostly revenge?"

"You reap what you sow, buddy," Stefan answered.

"Let's be very clear," Lexi said through her teeth. "Whatever time I have left here, I sure as hell don't plan on wasting it on you. You got me?" She pressed her hand into Damon's throat harder.

"Yeah, got you," Damon answered as Lexi removed her hand from his throat and he choked out a breath.

"Whoa…" Someone interrupted them, walking straight through the front door. Lana and Hannah entered with multiple shopping bags. Lana looked at Damon. "What the hell happened to you?" she questioned.

Damon's eyes moved over to the blonde-haired vengeful vampire. "Lana, meet Lexi. Lexi, Lana and her human friend Hannah."

"I have to be _classified _as human?" Hannah asked through her teeth. "Thanks, Damon. Or shall I say, Lana's undead _boyfriend, _Damon?" She dropped the bags and moved over to the couch and plopped down next to Stefan, where he offered her a drink. She laughed. "Don't mind if I do, but you're drunk as crap, Stefan."

Damon turned to Lana and looked her over. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she answered quickly. "But…why was she just cutting all the air off of your lungs?" Lana asked suspiciously. "Is that the same Lexi…"

"Yes," Damon answered, cutting her off. "It is. How was your trip?" He moved on.

"Good," Lana responded. "It would've been better if I got to stay here with you," she admitted, glancing up at him. He smiled.

"I agree, but this isn't your battle to fight," he told her and turned to Lexi. "Speaking of, if you, Ric, and Little Gilbert are all flesh-like and real-seeming, that means something went horribly wrong when Bonnie tried to put that veil up. And here _you two _are, having "Dance Party U.S.A," Damon breathed out, frustrated.

Lexi grabbed the bottle from Hannah's hand as Stefan spoke.

"You're _right_," Stefan mocked. "How selfish of me to be indulging in these precious moments with my formerly dead best friend," Stefan snapped, but it was the drunken kind of snap. "I should be sacrificing my own self-happiness for the good of others, right?" Stefan grabbed the bottle from Lexi's hand and pointed it at Damon before handing it to Hannah, who took a long, lingering sip. "I should be upstairs, grooming my Hero Hair," Stefan pointed out.

Hannah almost choked on the alcohol she was drinking as she laughed, and Damon narrowed his eyes. She looked over at Stefan. "I happen to like your _Hero Hair,_" she giggled. "Although we'll have to think of a better name." She laughed and took another swig.

"Are you _drunk_?" Damon questioned, shaking his head.

"I don't know, _Mom." _Stefan widened his eyes. "_Am I?" _He grabbed the bottle back from Hannah.

"Okay, Stefan, seriously, you've had enough to drink," Lana intervened, grabbing the bottle from Stefan's hands after dropping her bags. "Give me that." She took a long and sour sip before handing it to Damon, but Stefan held onto Lana's hand.

"And where have you been, young one?" Stefan asked, smiling. "Sent away while Damon tried to figure out whether Elena's feelings are real for him or not?" He laughed it off as Lana's eyes moved over to Damon, suspicious. Damon opened his mouth, but Stefan refuted. "Don't bother denying it, Damon, I'm sorry you couldn't get your answer, though, before your _girlfriend _came back into town." Stefan shrugged. "I'm sorry you didn't get your second one-night-stand with Elena."

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" Damon started.

"Stefan, Damon – enough," Lana pleaded, but she wasn't all that pleased with Damon. For a moment, silence passed before Damon took a long sip from the bottle in his hand.

"Well I guess that's one way to celebrate our supernatural apocalypse." Damon sighed. "Care to hazard any guesses on what the hell went wrong?"

* * *

While she was unpacking her things, Damon came upstairs and knocked on the door of his own bedroom. Lana craned her neck to see him, but then turned and continued unpacking her new clothing items.

"Are you not going to talk to me for the rest of the day?" Damon whispered carefully. Lana sighed and quit transferring her things into the drawers.

"Are you going to tell me why you _really _sent me away on that little five hour vacation?" When he opened his mouth, she stopped him. "And no lame sob story about how you wanted to protect me."

Damon sighed and moved into his room, next to Lana. "It's not a sob story, Lana, it's the truth," he assured her. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

It was quiet for just a moment before Stefan knocked on the door, his hands in his pockets. Lana and Damon looked up to the door, where Stefan hung his head.

"I've sobered," Stefan promised. "And I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to cause any issues…"

"No, you _did _mean to cause issues," Damon snapped. "So don't go apologizing like you're the good guy, because you're _not_."

"Damon…" Lana trailed off, sighing.

"I _am _sorry," Stefan said loudly. "I'm not sorry that it's the truth, but I'm sorry that I said it in the way I said it."

"You weren't supposed to say anything at all because it was a _lie._"

"Then why did you tell her to leave?" Stefan questioned.

Damon rolled his eyes. "To _protect _her – something you're incapable of doing, apparently."

"Just like you're incapable of loving her and treating her right!"

"Oh, look who's talking!" Damon laughed. "She's _mine_, and you stole her right from under my nose!"

"She's not branded to you, Damon," Stefan argued.

"I met her first," Damon countered.

"And I met Elena first, but that didn't stop you from stealing her from me."

"Just _shut up!" _Lana screamed, silencing the two brothers. She grunted and condemned her hands to her sides. "Seriously," she looked at the both of them. "You're acting like I _belong _to you, Damon," Lana whispered angrily. "And Stefan, I am _not _Elena, and I don't ever want to be Elena, which is why I have tried to stay away from you because I love Damon. But I'm _not _your property, Damon, and I'm not a prize to be won."

She shoved past them through the doorway. "You want a prize?" she challenged. "Go figure your Elena situation out. I'm not Elena Gilbert two-point-oh."

Angrily, she stopped down the stairs and across the hallway, most likely where Hannah was. Damon and Stefan looked at each other quickly before the doorbell rang, and Damon left to answer it.

When he opened the door, there was only one word to say. "Vaughn?"

A bullet sounded, wounding Damon in the shoulder. Damon winced and cried lightly.

"Got a little message for you, Laddie," Vaughn proposed. "Straight from the mouth of the witch, Qetsiyah."

* * *

He straightened himself in the mirror, recovering from his werewolf-venom laced bullet when Elena walked in, breathless.

"Hey," she said as Damon turned around. He forged a light smile.

"Hey," he responded.

"So, I think there's some stuff you and I need to talk about," Elena started.

"Yes, we do." Damon's heartbeat sped up…if he had a heart beat at all. "But first," Damon stalled as he walked over to a box and pulled out something for his complicated love interest. "Consider it a graduation present." He smiled.

She frowned. "Damon, I can't…take that," Elena trailed off.

"Sure you can!" Damon pushed, smiling. "Looks like it might be cherry flavor," he quipped.

Elena smiled widely before answering. "I'm not saying I don't want it, I mean…obviously I want it, but…" Damon looked at her with suspicion as she continued. "That's the only one. There's only _one _Cure. And the hunters have made it pretty clear that they're willing to kill everyone in Mystic Falls until they get it."

Damon sighed. "Elena." He took her hand and forced the Cure into hers. "Take it. I want you to take it." It was a subtle test, but effective. Would she take it?_Please…_Damon trailed off, but he didn't know what he was rooting for.

She stared at it for a moment before inhaling. "I can't," she answered finally and handed it back to Damon.

"Well," Damon sighed, taking back the Cure. "I guess that answers the sire bond question," he mumbled.

Damon was quiet for a few moments before he finally spoke. "You going to help a brother out or are you just going to lurk?" Damon propositioned to Jeremy.

"Look, Elena. You're my sister and I love you. No matter what you choose," Jeremy said quickly.

Damon sighed. "How is it that even when you're dead, you're the bane in my existence?"

* * *

After Elena invited herself in to talk to Damon, Lana sat down with Stefan on the couch in the parlor. Stefan looked at her carefully.

"Aren't you mad at me?" he asked as she poured herself a drink.

"Yes," Lana admitted. "No." She sighed. "Maybe. It's more Damon I'm mad at than anyone," she said, looking down into her glass miserably.

"Why?" Stefan asked. "He's just a little possessive sometimes. I'm sure you've figured that out by now." He paused. "And as for me comparing you to Elena…" he trailed off as Lana looked up at him and he looked down. "I'm sorry for that. You're _nothing _like Elena, she strung both of us along for…a while, and you've made your choice pretty clear," Stefan mumbled.

"It's not all that clear," she whispered carefully, but Stefan could still hear her. Lana drowned a long sip before returning the glass to her side and looking into the contents of the cup as silence passed.

"You'll get through this," Stefan told her quietly. "You _and Damon _will get through this. No matter what he feels for Elena, he'll always feel for you, as well."

Lana laughed bitterly. "And how can you be so sure, Mister Salvatore?" she mocked, smiling and sipping a bit from her glass.

Stefan shrugged as a smile spread across his face. "You're a hard one to get over," he mumbled. "No matter if your feelings for me are the result of a sire bond – a weak one, at that – I do have real feelings." He paused. "And…even if you choose Damon, I'll always love you."

Lana was quiet for a moment, giving Stefan the chance to clear his throat and wipe his hands on his jeans nervously. "But I think your real problem is not about me, it's about what Elena's telling Damon right now in his room. But I think they're avoiding the real issue, especially since the sire bond is gone now."

Lana tapped her finger on the glass cup. "You know, Stefan," she said, not wanting to talk about Damon and Elena for a moment. "If Elena does choose Damon," she started, but never finished.

"Yeah?" Stefan prompted.

Lana quickly backed out of what she was going to say and replaced her request with a truthful statement. "Elena will be the biggest idiot in the entire world." Lana smiled.

Stefan laughed.

"Thank you," Stefan said. "But it's not about idiocy, it's about love. And her emotions. And I can't make her love me."

Lana sighed. "It just doesn't make sense," she mumbled, looking at Stefan. "Stefan, all you ever wanted for her was a _chance. _You fought for this Cure for her and she doesn't even care that you…sacrificed so much." Lana tilted her head. "You deserve someone…_so _much better for you."

He smiled. "That means a lot," Stefan admitted. "Coming from the girl who is dating my brother over me…I don't know…" He laughed, bittersweet.

Lana shrugged and smiled. "Stefan, the only reason I'm with your brother is because he's the one who pulled me out of my darkened love life."

"Oh, so the sex and blood sharing, along with manipulation, wasn't dark enough for you?" Stefan proposed.

Lana's shoulders moved up and down as she finished her glass of alcohol. "In that aspect, he was a terrible, terrible person. And I really didn't love him until I realized that…maybe Damon wasn't a good person, at all. But he was someone who just needed someone who loved him, and at the time, I was in the same place." She paused. "We fixed each other, I guess. In a way." She poured more alcohol for her. "But none of it will matter when he chooses Elena."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "You're so sure about that?" he asked.

She made a face. "Really, Stefan?" she propositioned. "If Elena chose you, you would take her back, no matter what you feel for me. Damon would take Elena back in a heartbeat if she asked. There's no room for me in your life with Elena, and that's exactly why I tried to get out in the first place," Lana admitted.

"So why are you back, then?" Stefan proposed, smiling. "If you're so worried that you're not as beautiful and lovely as Elena Gilbert."

"Elena Gilbert two-point-oh," Lana corrected with a small smile as she shrugged and traced her finger around the crystal glass mouth. "I figured it'd be worth the pain. I'm just not so sure right now, but I'll find some way to manage."

"Lana!" Hannah entered, ruining Stefan and Lana's talk. She moved her head to the side to see the human walking towards her, a scowl on her face. "Why aren't you dressed? Lana, we need to be at the ceremony soon!"

"It's like…_ten _hours away!" Lana laughed, draining her cup.

"Yes, but I need help picking out an outfit and I figured we can go grab lunch and maybe stop by campus…?" Hannah asked, smiling.

"Fine," Lana replied as Lexi walked into the room. "Let me just stop by Damon's room to grab my things and we can go."

* * *

"Uh, fine." Elena moved Damon's shirt down and saw the big hole in his shoulder. She gasped, and so did another person in the room.

"Damn," Damon cursed. "Lana…"

"Damon, why isn't this healed?" Elena questioned, ignoring Damon's comment. Lana moved towards Damon to examine the wound.

"Damon…" she trailed off, confused.

"Because the bullet was laced with werewolf venom, okay?" Damon snapped. "The hunters are dicks." Elena removed her hands from Damon's chest and turned around.

"Damon, what does that mean?" Lana asked, worried.

"Nothing," Damon said carefully. "Listen, I'll be fine."

"No, you're not, Damon, you'll die!" Elena snapped, ruining Damon's efforts to try and make it sound easy. "God…Damon…" Elena trailed off.

"What do I do?" Lana asked rapidly. Hannah stood in the background, quiet.

"Nothing," Damon answered. "Nothing, darling. Just…stay safe and do something, okay? Go shopping. Aren't you and your human friend going to lunch? Do that and don't get into any trouble."

"Damon, I'm not a kid and I'm fucking _done _shopping!" she shrieked. "You're going to die. What do I do?"

"We need Klaus's blood," Elena answered, mumbling. "We need…to find Klaus…"

"Klaus would rather see me die," Damon answered. "Plus, Klaus is a thousand miles away, sipping up a hurricane on Bourbon Street."

"That wound will kill you!" Elena cried.

"Haven't we stated that?" Lana shrieked. "Give me Klaus's number and I'll call him. Or Caroline, right? Caroline can get him here."

"What about the Cure?" Jeremy offered, making everyone silent.

"Damon…human?" Lana asked, as if it was a tortuous thought.

"If Damon's human, the werewolf venom won't hurt him," Elena explained frantically.

"But I was so moved by your speech to save man kind," Damon quipped.

"Damon," Lana snapped. "If that Cure can save you, you're taking it."

"The last time I checked, you're not the _boss _of me, Lana, and you sure as hell aren't happy with me right now, either!" Damon complained.

She shook her head. "I don't want you to die," Lana choked out.

Damon sighed and thought it over for a small moment "Ooh, look at that." Damon ignored everyone's protests. "Looks like Vaughn's awake."

He moved out of the room and off with his plan.

* * *

"I forgot how much I _loved _graduation," Lana sighed, picking at a piece of lint on her sheer red panel dress she'd acquired in Richmond. Nervously, she tapped her Louboutin heel on the sidewalk as they waited in the crowd. Unlike Hannah, who had taken hours upon hours to put her hair up in a delicate curled bun that pulled back almost all of her short brown hair, Lana had left her hair untouched and comfortable down her shoulders, spilling onto the red dress. Hannah was next to her in a black and cream pink strapless dress with a bow on the torso with her slit-toe pumps accenting the black undertone of the dress. She had also acquired the dress in Richmond, along with the black bow ring accessory. Lana's only accessory was her daylight ring.

Hannah smiled. "It was a fun time for me, I can tell you that."

"It was fun," Lana admitted. "At least…at the time it was. I spent almost all my time with…_him, _of course."

Hannah shrugged, her pale exposed shoulders rising up and down. "Memories…past lovers…you have two better vampires awaiting one girl's decision that'll affect your own."

Lana sighed. "Can we not talk about that?" she asked politely.

"Your choice," Hannah said. "Though I think the other brother is better."

"And why do you say that?" Lana smiled.

"He's hotter," Hannah giggled. "And nicer. Sweeter. Not in love with your precious Elena.

"All of that is an opinion," Lana admitted. "And he _is _in love with Elena…more than you know." She paused to inhale. "They both are." Lana looked across the crowd to see Stefan, his eyes meeting hers just in time, where they shared a moment of weakness. Just _one _moment.

_"You're the only good thing that's happened to me since I've been mixed in with Damon. I don't want you to go away."_

Would it be so bad if Elena got Damon and Lana got Stefan? Damon's always only wanted Elena, and no matter how much Damon loved Lana, his feelings for Elena would never go away. Stefan did a better job at making them go away, and there was hope for him – in the future – that his love would eventually fade. Damon would see it as the biggest regret of his life, not taking what he wanted and running away with Lana.

What she wanted to do was irrelevant, it was all riding on Elena. And if Elena wouldn't make a decision, she would, and it would be a hard one. Elena Gilbert 2.0, or rather, Katherine Pierce 3.0.

But with the Salvatore brothers, she would never be _Lana. _She would be Elena or she would be Katherine, even though there was no way in _hell _they were related.

But Stefan…he was sweet, and kind, and the best person she'd ever known. She was right to say what she had said when she first turned, because Stefan was the best thing that had happened to her since she'd been with Damon. But Damon was the one who made her feel the best, and it was a love that she wanted.

Her love with Stefan was smaller, but deeper.

_"You know I love you."_

And the truth of the matter was, she _really _did love both of them, and she was screwed either way.

* * *

"That must've hurt," Lana said, trying not to laugh as Elena left the room. Damon smiled though his pain.

"Yeah, well, another day with Elena Gilbert," he admitted, sitting down on the bed. Damon patted the space next to him. "Lay down with me," he offered. "I've missed you all day," Damon admitted with a smile.

Lana thought it over for a moment, wondering if it was worth sitting down next to him and pretending like everything was okay.

_"I love you, damn it! I love you. Not Stefan."_

How she wished it true, but it wasn't. She might've loved Damon more than she will ever love Stefan in her entire lifetime, but those feelings were there.

She sat down on the bed and put her hands in her lap, ducking her head.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Damon asked, brushing her hair aside. "Are you still upset with me?"

"You scared the living daylights out of me, Damon," she whispered to him. "I didn't want you to die."

He moved closer and grabbed her hand. "I'm all right," he promised.

"And if Klaus hadn't shown up when he did?" Lana proposed, turning her head. "You would never have taken the Cure, even if Alaric had shoved it down your throat, because you would've fought back and knocked it into the water." She looked at him, alarmed. "You'd sacrifice your happiness…_my _happiness, for a woman who doesn't know what she wants."

"I know what I want," Damon countered, staring at her straight in the eyes. "And nothing's going to change that."

"You're sure?" Lana questioned. "Because I can say, without a doubt, that if Elena chose you…right now, you would go running back to her in a heartbeat, just like Stefan would."

Damon was quiet for a moment, giving her a second of peace.

_"I love you. I love you. I really do. I'll say it as many times as you want."_

He leaned forward without a warning and kissed her, one of the sweetest, most platonic kisses she'd ever had from Damon Salvatore. When he pulled away, his hand on her shoulder, he leaned against her forehead. "I love you," he whispered. "And so I'll tell you the truth."

He didn't have to say much more after that, because it was a given. He would leave her for Elena, if Elena wanted him.

"It's that easy, right?" she whispered darkly. "It's simple. You'll never love me as much as you love her."

"Now that's not true," Damon countered. "I love you, with half of my heart. Maybe even three quarters." He paused as she waited for his other argument. "But if Elena wanted me right now, I don't know what I would do. I'm not saying I would leave you in a heartbeat, Lana, it was hard for me to love after Elena broke my heart five thousand times with just a couple words she could've said to me. That doesn't just go away."

He brushed his thumb across her cheek and stayed silent for a moment. "If Elena doesn't choose me, we'll leave," he whispered. "I'll go away with you to wherever you want…you name it. Paris, Rome, Barcelona, London…" Damon trailed off. "I love you, and even if Elena does choose me, I always will. But if she doesn't, I will learn to let that love fade for you."

Damon smiled. "It might take a few decades, but…" he joked.

"It's not funny, Damon," she told him quietly. "I've heard this speech before."

"Because it's the truth," Damon answered. "And you don't know how much I was thinking of you when I was near death today. And if Klaus hadn't shown up, I would've died and I'm sorry for that." He paused. "But her happiness is worth much more than mine."

"And my happiness?" Lana proposed angrily, but her voice was quiet. "Did you think of how it made me feel, thinking you could've died today?"

"You would've gotten over it," Damon whispered carefully. "I know you love me, and I love you, too. But I've wasted your life away. I compelled you to leave because I wanted you to have a happy, human life, away from this drama and the black hole of my life. I want you to be happy, and if that happiness doesn't involve me…"

"It does." She shook her head at him. "It will _always _involve you. Even if you choose Elena and I leave with Stefan. No matter how happy I am, at any time, my happiness is and will always be _with you_."

Damon smiled. "Thank you, but you don't have to leave with Stefan," he said. "Unless you want to."

"I made a promise to him," Lana admitted, remembering that conversation on the night that Damon told her he loved her. "And I will keep it."

Damon nodded carefully and suddenly had the urge to say nothing more. He leaned in for a kiss, but she moved a fraction away from him, and he realized it wasn't a great idea. "No more kissing until Elena or you chooses," Lana told him sternly. "I'm sorry, Damon, but I want that kiss to be our last. And I don't think I can handle much more pain," she admitted.

Damon closed his eyes tight and kissed her forehead, worried for her. He wouldn't be able to resist Elena if she did tell him that she chose him.

But what were the odds? He was completely wrong for her, and that slap proved it. Elena would never be happy with him, and no matter what Lana said, she would never be happy with him, either. No one would be happy with him, but his brother.

They walked out of the room and separated with some much needed space before Elena made her decision.

* * *

When the silence occurred, she knew that she had had enough. Under the same roof, in that same house. _Right _in the next room. She didn't think this was going to happen. She was supposed to be strong and hard-hearted. Why was she angry? Emotions ran wild in her, and they were unable to bend to her control.

Lana forced herself up from the couch, tears threatening in her eyes. Hannah, Stefan, and everyone else jumped up when she did.

"Lana…" Stefan and Hannah started.

"Don't!" she snapped. She had had enough of this bullshit. It was time to leave Damon, and she wanted out. The words repeated in her mind, the way the silence had passed after she said those three words. Lana didn't know whether she was angry, sad, or hurt to the maximum.

It didn't stop her from walking straight into the living room and flashing to the door in an instant, ignoring the image she acquired from Elena's confession.

Damon pulled away just in time to see Lana open the door.

"Lana, _wait_!" he yelled out. Elena stayed where she was, reeling over their kiss.

"Don't!" she screamed at Damon, shaking her head, trying to shake the tears. She was shaking, herself. "Don't, Damon. I don't want to see you ever again and I'm _done. _I'm _out_."

She didn't think it would hurt this bad, but it was completely immoral. Damon had told her that he would think it over…that he would take his time and choose if Elena had on the off chance chosen him. But he didn't take any time at all. He had made his choice pretty clear.

She flashed out onto the sidewalk, angrier than angry. But maybe it was the sadness, but it consumed her every emotion and flooded her soul. It hurt…_so _badly. Her emotions – her heightened emotions – weren't equipped to handle the heartbreak she was enduring.

"Please," Damon said, grabbing Lana's arm and spinning her back from her pacing. "Listen to me, please. I didn't…I was just…"

She couldn't take it anymore, and she didn't want to listen to Damon talk. Her hand flashed to his face, where she slapped him, hard, on the opposite side of where Elena had made her mark. Damon clutched his face, but he wasn't mad. It was understandable.

"I don't want to speak to you again," she growled. "I am going to get my things and I am leaving the _second _I can, with or without Stefan."

"Not necessary," Stefan intervened, reaching out to hold Lana away from Damon. "Lana, I'll get your things. You don't need to go back into the house. I just want you to walk around the block a couple times and cool off." He paused when she didn't say anything. "For me. Please. I _need _you to do this for me. Not as a sire bond request, but as a good well-being request."

He looked at Hannah, who had come outside, too, worried out of her mind. "Hannah?" Stefan offered. "Will you…?"

"Yeah," Hannah said. "Of course." She shot Damon a icy glare before running off to help Lana cool off.

"Her emotions weren't able to handle that, Damon," Stefan sighed. "I understand your urgency, but please keep it to yourselves until I can get her out of this city. If she breaks one more time, she's going to turn it off, and that's not something we want."

Damon paused to think, long and hard, but his mind was already made up. It had been, for a very long time. He loved Elena, and that was never going to die out, no matter how hard he tried. He was a fool into thinking so.

"Yeah," Damon nodded. "Okay." He rubbed his jaw and looked back into the house. "I'll…help you with her things."

"I was thinking we'll just go along on the road," Stefan intervened. "The quicker I get her out, the faster we'll both be out of your hair and she'll be calm again. I'm just trying to keep her from becoming emotionless and letting history repeat," Stefan explained.

"Got it," Damon said coolly. "I'll get Silas," Damon mumbled as he walked up the pathway. Hannah wasn't far with Lana, so Stefan flashed to Lana's side.

"I'll handle this," Stefan said. "Go make sure everything is ready so we can leave as fast as possible," Stefan told Hannah.

Hannah nodded. "Stefan," she whispered. He looked at her attentively.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind?" Hannah asked quietly. He raised his eyebrows. "Do you mind if I come with you two and Lexi? I…don't really have a reason to be in Mystic Falls anymore," she admitted.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, I don't mind," he answered. "Do you need anything or can you survive?"

"I can manage."

"Okay, then please help my brother with loading Silas."

Hannah left quickly, leaving Lana and Stefan alone on the sidewalk a little ways from the house. Far enough, though, where Damon could sit her down and talk to her, calmly.

"He shouldn't have done that," Stefan whispered. "It was bad enough that I was there, but it was worse that you were."

Lana wiped the tears off of her cheeks. "I don't even know why I'm crying." She partially laughed. "I knew it was coming," she admitted. "I told everyone I knew it and…I threw a big scene…"

"Don't worry about it," Stefan replied. "Please, don't. That's not your fault, okay? You're not even three months undead yet, there's nothing to apologize for."

After a few minutes of consoling, Lana looked at Stefan curiously. "So what now, Stefan?" she asked.

"Anything you want," Stefan smiled. "We can go to Australia…take a road trip to California…we can pretty much go anywhere we want."

Lana rested her head against his chest and inhaled deeply. "Sadness isn't my best emotion," she admitted. Stefan rubbed her arm up and down, nodding his head.

"I understand."

Things passed silently for a moment before Lana moved her head from Stefan's chest and looked up at him. And then, there was that moment, just like at graduation, except closer.

Maybe it was the hurt of being rejected that made her do it, but she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Stefan's cautiously, waiting for his reaction. He kissed back, but restrainedly. Eventually, he pushed her back.

"I want to be with you," he whispered. "I want that, I do." Stefan paused. "But not like this."

"Why not?" Lana mumbled. "Haven't you heard that the best time to get in a relationship is when our exes choose each other?" Lana turned her head away, but Stefan pulled her back to him, looking at her.

"That's not right," Stefan answered. "Listen, we can have all the affairs we want on the road or in a foreign country….but less than two minutes after the love of _your _life and the love of _mine _share a stolen kiss with us in the next room?" Stefan shook his head. "I want us to have a shot, but not like that."

Lana nodded and wiped her tears again. "I understand," she repeated Stefan's earlier words.

"Now," Stefan said, holding out his hand, "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"How about we start with dropping Silas off," Lana started. "And then we'll figure out where we go from there."

"Sounds good to me," Stefan nodded and pulled her up from the sidewalk. But it would take more than one road trip or a trip to Australia to remove the love from her heart, and it would take even longer to get over the anger and sadness she was feeling.

The one thing she could hold onto, though, was her emotions, and that was one thing she wanted to let go of more than anything.

* * *

"What?"

A smile spread across Alaric's face. "You got the girl, man," he said, triumphantly.

"I got the girl," Damon agreed, forging another smile. Alaric looked at him suspiciously.

"And why aren't you overly ecstatic?" Alaric asked. "Don't tell me that other girl wasn't just a distraction…a horrible cover for your feelings for Elena…" he trailed off.

"I don't know," Damon said honestly. "And I feel…terrible. Guilty."

"Why?" Alaric asked. "Because you chose the person you've cared about for your entire stay in Mystic Falls, who just chose you over her first love?"

"Because…" Damon trailed off. "Because I loved her."

"Yet," Alaric started, "You did all of those horrible things to her while she was human."

Damon frowned. "You saw all of that?"

"Every gory, disgusting detail," Alaric admitted, nodding his head. "And it made me want to drop the veil myself so I could punch you."

Damon sighed. "I don't know why I ever did all of those things to her," he admitted. "And I was the biggest douchebag of all time. And I love her, more than anyone can ever possibly know."

Alaric smiled. "And so you're letting her go…why? Because you got Elena? That hardly seems like an excuse with a girl you _love _more than anyone can know."

"I'm letting her go because she deserves a chance at a life she could've had if I didn't meet her in that alley after the party at Whitmore," Damon explained. "And if it wasn't for me – so vulnerable and sadistic – she would've lived her life to the maximum without a single regret." He paused. "And she deserves much better than what I could give her if I went away with her. I would never be able to love her more than Elena, and that's not fair to her or me."

Alaric paused. "You sure it's not just because you got the girl?" he asked.

Damon shook and hung his head, partially laughing. "I may love Elena, but I love her, too."

"Love…as in present tense?" Alaric asked.

"Love," Damon answered with a nod. "And that will never go away."

* * *

"I'm thinking Los Angeles," Hannah said as Stefan opened the trunk to his car. "Lana, we've been to Los Angeles that one summer, but we loved it _so _much!"

"I've never been to Portland," Stefan offered.

"Rain?" Lana questioned, frowning.

"Taking that as a no," Stefan joked, but then he heard the crack of pieces as he put Silas's shell of stone on the floor so he could push it into the body of water before him. _What…?_

Stefan picked up a piece of broken shell that was laying in the body bag that he was going to throw to the bottom of the lake.

"Stefan…" Lana trailed off.

"Don't bother," someone else said as Stefan tried to search through the bag for Silas. "I'm not there."

Everyone turned to see Elena – or Silas – standing there with a game face. A bad one.

"Silas," Stefan whispered. "You were stone. They saw you. The spell worked."

"That's the funny thing about spells," Silas explained. "They're bound by nature – and _nature _demands balance, so every spell has a loophole." Stefan raised his eyebrows in questioning. "The spell that turned me to stone was bound by a witch." Silas paused. "A living witch. When that witch died…the spell broke." _Simple, _Lana thought with a sour taste.

"Bonnie? Bonnie's not dead," Stefan whispered.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Silas proposed. "But here's where the mystery of me comes full circle," Silas started. "I created the immortality spell two thousand years ago. I could never die. So nature needed to find a balance. A version that could die. A shadow self. A doppelganger." It all turned into place.

"So this is finally your real face?" Stefan demanded. "You're another one of _them?"_

"The original fucking Petrova doppelganger?" Lana said angrily. And boy, was she angry.

"Not exactly," Silas answered, and he transformed.

Into Stefan.

"Hello, my shadow self," Silas – or Stefan – greeted. Stefan looked at Silas with wonder. _What the…?_

But before he could say anything, Silas lunged a punch into Stefan's heart, and Lana and Hannah tried to stop him. But Silas gave them a warning glare, and Hannah was only human. Lana protected Hannah with her arms as she glared at Silas. "What do you want?" she growled. "Let him go!"

"No can do," Silas admitted. "But your present's coming up soon, don't worry." He smiled.

And it wasn't long before Stefan was locked in a safe and tumbling down to the bottom of the body of water that was intended for Silas.

"Stefan!" Lana called out, but Silas, who shoved her to the ground in an instant, held her back.

"Be patient," Silas commanded and looked at the mere human in the group. Hannah shook with fear. "I know _exactly _what I'm going to do with _you_, and I didn't even plan for you." Silas ripped his teeth into his own flesh, drawing blood that could only be torn from his own teeth. He shoved it into the human's mouth, only giving her one drop – which was all that was needed and offered. In a mere instant, he pulled away and snapped her neck, pushing her down to the bottom of the water, just like Stefan, though she would wake up a new and awakened vampire with an extra kick.

"What are you _doing_?" Lana screamed, trying to go after her friend, but Silas held her back again.

"Escaping before the final part of this elaborate gift?" Silas yelled. "I haven't finished yet, _Lana Mercer, _so here's your present."

He paused for a moment to yell out, "You can come out now!"

And from the trees that surrounded them came a young man, Lana's age, with a new appearance. He was tall and familiar.

And she knew exactly who he was, which made her scramble away.

"Peter," she said through her teeth, but she was detained by Silas's hold.

"She's all yours," Silas told his accomplice, shoving the poor girl to Peter's arms, where he pulled out an injection needle, full of vervain.

"We're going to have a _lot _of fun, Lana," Peter whispered in her ear before he pushed the needle down into her neck, draining her of all consciousness and hope for the summer.

* * *

**Oh my God, that literally took me four hours to complete, but I'm glad I got it all in one shot. 8,000 words! The most I've ****_ever _****written in one chapter…oh my God, that was exhausting. Going to bed real soon after this.**

**And yes, I did cry in the finale again when I saw the Delena kiss. It makes me want to barf, kick, scream, and throw five thousand pounds of metal at my screen because I hate them!**

**Ugh! I'm sorry.**

**Next chapter will be when the new story comes out, along with a little list of songs that I find fit the story well…**

**Stay tuned, guys, because I really do have a lot in store. I hope I lived up to your expectations for the cliffhanger! The next story will be strictly fictional (NOT as long as all of these chapters were) and so I'm making my own rules now.**

**_Reviews equal love and love equals more updates!_**

**_Feedback is always appreciated. I love to hear your thoughts._**

**_Love,_**

**_KatherineSalvatore1918_**

**_X_**

**_PS: Outfits are on Polyvore and the links are on my profile page._**


	35. I Can Learn to Love Again

**Hello!**

**First of all, I want to start out saying that today was one of the best days of my life. I met Zach Roerig again today and got a picture with him and an autograph from him. And then I met Kat Graham and got an autograph from her (OMG she's SO nice!) and I met Nathaniel for a couple minutes and we were just talking privately and we hugged! It was so awesome! He was just amazing and so sweet!**

**Anyway...**

**I'm going to be publishing the first chapter of the sequel to this story, ****_I Can Learn to Love Again _****in a few minutes. I wanted to take the time and let you all know so you can go read it...because I left you with that awful cliffhanger. The story jumps ahead a few months, so be prepared...**

**One more thing: I made a playlist for this story, and here are the songs. I didn't think of a specific time, but it's basically the "soundtrack" to this story. I don't know, I got bored!**

**Here it is: **

_Make You Fee My Love - __Adele_

_Unbroken - __Demi Lovato_

_Halcyon - __Ellie Goulding_

_Figure 8 - __Ellie Goulding_

_Hanging On (Edit) - __Ellie Goulding_

_This Love (Will Be Your Downfall) -__ Ellie Goulding_

_Oh No! - __Marina and the Diamonds_

_Can't Stop - __Maroon 5_

_The Man Who Never Lied - __Maroon 5_

_This Love - __Maroon 5_

_Sway - __Michael Bubl_é

_A Little Taste - __Skyler Stonestreet_

_Heavy in Your Arms - __Florence and the Machine_

**That's really it, guys! Please go read my new story! It's literally coming up RIGHT after I publish this A/N. **

_**Love, **_

_**KatherineSalvatore1918**_

_**XOXO**_


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